April 23, 2010
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Former health minister Yoichi Masuzoe has formed a new political group and pledged to realign Japanese politics by winning seats in the Upper House election this summer.
Masuzoe announced the launch of his party on Friday, one day after he left the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party. His party's name is "Shinto Kaikaku," which can be translated as the New Renaissance Party.
Two other LDP defectors and 3 members of the smaller opposition Japan Renaissance Party have joined Masuzoe, who has become the head of the new group.He told reporters that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's government took over power from the Liberal Democratic Party last year, but voters are already disappointed with its clumsy politics and money scandals.
Masuzoe said the LDP did not heed his call for reform, so he decided to launch his own party to make politics more open.
He expressed willingness to team up with lawmakers of other parties.
The former minister said his party will look for candidates for the Upper House election, and wants to field them both in electoral districts and the proportional representation segment.
Masuzoe added that the party aims to win a sufficient number of Upper House seats so that it can have the casting vote.
2010/04/23 18:12(JST)
(JST: UTC+9hrs.)
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