Japan lawmakers against postal bills launch new party "Nippon"

Four lawmakers, who broke ranks with Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party by voting against Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Japan Post privatization bills, and the outspoken governor of Nagano Prefecture joined hands Sunday in launching a new political party, named "Nippon".

Yasuo Tanaka, a popular novelist-turned governor, heads the five-member party -- the second party launched by LDP rebels after Koizumi dissolved the House of Representatives on Aug. 8 -- while continuing to run the prefectural government and not seeking a seat in the Diet, Tanaka said in a press conference.

The other four comprise three former lower house members -- Koki Kobayashi, Makoto Taki and Takashi Aoyama -- and Hiroyuki Arai, a member of the House of Councilors.

The party hopes to attract at least one more lawmaker. Under the Public Offices Election law, a party must have at least five parliamentarians, including the former lower house members in case it is dissolved, to field candidates under the proportional- representation system.

"This is a society which is affluent but in which we cannot hold a dream," Tanaka said. "We have gathered to change Japan's way of being from its roots, from its systems and mechanisms and from a perspective of the frontline."

Tanaka also said the party aims to change central government bureaucracy and will tie up with any other party if they share the idea.

Nippon's inaugural declaration says the party will go all out to realize things others can't.

Postal privatization is the centerpiece of the reform drive under Koizumi, who heads the LDP. The bills' rejection with a larger-than-expected number of LDP member, casting dissenting votes prompted the premier to dissolve the lower house, refuse to allow the dissidents on the LDP ticket in the upcoming election and choose challengers against them.

Former LDP lawmaker Muneo Suzuki also created a new, regional party, Shinto Daichi (new party good earth), Thursday in his native Hokkaido. Under the election law, regional parties are not regarded as political parties and are treated as political groups.

Source: Xinhua