Nippon Ishin Likely to Hold Leadership Election

   Osaka, Oct. 31 (Jiji Press)--Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) decided Thursday to begin procedures to hold an early leadership election, amid growing calls for party leader Nobuyuki Baba's resignation following the party's poor showing in Sunday's general election.
   The party plans to formally decide as early as Nov. 6 whether to hold a leadership election.
   Acknowledging the party's defeat in the House of Representatives election, Baba said at Thursday's party executive meeting that the result was "entirely my responsibility." The party saw its number of Lower House seats drop by five, from 43 to 38.
   At the same time, Baba expressed his eagerness to stay on as party chief, saying, "I hope to continue working with you all to have more colleagues and increase our influence in national and regional politics."
   In the recent election, Nippon Ishin won all 19 single-seat constituencies in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, but lost all in eastern Japan. It also received about three million fewer votes under the proportional representation system than in the previous Lower House election in 2021.

(2024/10/31-22:28)

To read a full story, please click here to find out how to subscribe.