Japan’s newest party gets off to rocky start with zero percent support rate
Media polls showed the support rate for the Democratic Reform Party, formed last week with 18 members, is at zero percent.
The Democratic Reform Party (DRP), a new political entity founded by a faction of parliamentarians who departed from the Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA), embarked on its inaugural meeting on Thursday. The group comprised 18 members and quickly outlined its leadership structure in anticipation of the upcoming autumn parliamentary session, tentatively scheduled to commence on October 5th.
Junya Ogawa, the newly appointed leader of the DRP, expressed optimism about the party's trajectory, stating, "We would like to get off to a practical start. Although we’re only a small elite group, we earnestly ask for everyone's participation in various forms but united in spirit." However, the party's ambitious launch has faced significant obstacles, with preliminary media polls from Yomiuri Shimbun and Nikkei indicating a dismal support rate of zero percent.
This lack of public backing is further compounded by criticism that the DRP chose to retain membership in the CRA rather than dissolve it, thereby forfeiting potential political party subsidies. As the DRP navigates these early challenges, the road ahead will be arduous as it seeks to garner support from a public that remains largely unconvinced of its viability.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
