Reiwa Shinsengumi

Reiwa Shinsengumi (Japanese: れいわ新選組) is a left-wing populist[6][7][8][9] and progressive[10] political party in Japan founded by actor-turned-politician Tarō Yamamoto in April 2019. The party was formed shortly after Ichirō Ozawa announced that the Liberal Party would merge with the Democratic Party for the People.[11] The party won more than 4% of the vote after contesting the House of Councilors election in July 2019, gaining two seats only about three and a half months after the formation of the party.[12]

Reiwa Shinsengumi

れいわ新選組
LeaderTarō Yamamoto
Founded1 April 2019 (2019-04-01)
Split fromLiberal Party
Headquarters1F, Akasaka-Kōei Bldg. 3-2-6 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
IdeologyProgressivism
Left-wing populism
Political positionLeft-wing[1][2][3]
Colors  Pink[4][5]
Councillors
2 / 245
Representatives
0 / 465
Website
reiwa-shinsengumi.com

The party is variously described as being anti-austerity, anti-establishment[13][14][15] and anti-nuclear power[16] as well as supporting animal welfare,[16] disability rights[16] and economically interventionist.[17]

History

Founding

Tarō Yamamoto, a member of the House of Councillors for Tokyo, founded the party on 1 April 2019. This was with the intent of standing multiple candidates, including himself, in the upcoming House of Councillors election later in the year.[18] On 10 April, Yamamoto held a press conference and announced the party's platform.[19]

2019 House of Councillors election

The party stood multiple candidates in the 2019 House of Councillors election. The party won 2.2 million votes in the national PR block, exceeding the 2% threshold needed to be recognised as a political party, and securing two seats. Although nearly one million votes were cast for Yamamoto personally, since the party had nominated Yasuhiko Funago and Eiko Kimura, both of whom have disabilities,[20] ahead of him in the party list, Yamamoto did not win a seat.[21] The National Diet Building was adapted to allow barrier-free access for wheelchair users.

Notable party members include university professor Ayumi Yasutomi and former deputy representative of the North Korean abduction liaison Toru Hasuike.

2020 Tokyo gubernatorial election

Party leader Tarō Yamamoto was one of the 22 candidates participating in the 2020 Tokyo gubernatorial election, coming in third place with 10.72% of the votes. The party promises included a direct cash handout programme due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[22]

Policies

In a press conference held shortly after the founding of the party, Yamamoto announced that his party would push for the abolition of the consumption tax and instead, make the corporation tax a progressive tax and increase government bonds.[23] In addition, he said that the party is against the construction of the Henoko base. They would also ban nuclear power entirely, raise the minimum wage to ¥1,500 per hour with public guarantee, implement laws protecting free education, disability rights, LGBT rights, animal rights, institute a basic income of ¥30,000 (circa $283 as of September 2020) per person per month whenever inflation is below 2% (benefits would end whenever inflation is not below the threshold and resume if it goes below again), and reinforce social services.[24]

The party has announced that it would reverse/abolish many of the laws that were revised or passed by Prime Minister Shinzō Abe if elected, including the pre-emptive anti-terrorism law such as martial law State Secrecy Law and the 2015 Japanese military legislation.

References
  1. Thisanka Siripala (6 August 2019). "Japan's Upper House Election Results A Win for Diversity". The Diplomat. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  2. Daisuke Minami (2 August 2019). "Is Populism Finally Coming to Japan?". The Japan Times. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  3. "Japan's first severely disabled lawmakers join parliament". BBC News. 1 August 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  4. 色もいろいろ東京都知事選　候補者が「イメージカラー」に込めた思いは. The Tokyo Shimbun (in Japanese). 26 June 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2020. ピンクをイメージカラーにするのは、れいわ新選組代表の山本太郎さん（４５）。「好きだから」（山本さん）と、２０１９年の結党以来、党のロゴにも使い続ける。
  5. 【野党ウオッチ】異色の戦法「れいわ新選組」際立つパフォーマンス. The Sankei News (in Japanese). 20 July 2019. Retrieved 1 July 2020. 会場の広場にはれいわ新選組のシンボルカラーであるピンクの幟（のぼり）が林立し、...
  6. 石戸諭 (22 July 2019). 山本太郎、れいわ…左派ポピュリズムの衝撃とどう向き合うか？. news.yahoo.co.jp (in Japanese). Yahoo! JAPAN. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  7. Nakamura, Kasane (1 August 2019). "れいわ・山本太郎代表「私はポピュリストです」。羽鳥慎一モーニングショーで左派ポピュリズムとの指摘に宣言。" (in Japanese). HuffPost. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  8. Kamei, Hiroshi (31 July 2019). "れいわ躍進、左派ポピュリズムの日本版　N国も無視できず". AERA dot. (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. p. 1. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  9. Ohi, Akai (3 July 2019). "山本太郎は日本のバーニー・サンダースか　左派ポピュリズムと中道リベラルの「戦略的互恵関係」". webronza.asahi.com (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. pp. 1, 4. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  10. Brasor, Philip (20 July 2019). "Citizen campaigns seek to increase voter turnout in Upper House election". The Japan Times. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  11. "Mr. Taro Yamamoto "Reiwa Shinsen-gumi" justified "people in this country, a guardian, welcome to me"". Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  12. 「れいわ新選組」山本太郎氏が立ち上げ 野党結集が狙い. 朝日新聞デジタル (in Japanese). 11 April 2019. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  13. "Reiwa Shinsengumi makes splash in Japanese election debut, giving voice to people with disabilities". The Japan Times. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  14. "Man with Lou Gehrig's disease wins seat in Japan's parliament for 1st time". Kyodo News. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  15. Minami, Daisuke (2 August 2019). "Is Populism Finally Coming to Japan?" (in Japanese). The Japan Times. Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  16. "政策 れいわ新選組". reiwa-shinsengumi.com (in Japanese). Retrieved 4 January 2020.
  17. Blondy, Théophile (21 July 2019). "Le Reiwa Shinsengumi un parti " populiste "". Le Petit Journal (in French). Retrieved 26 July 2019. Le programme appelle directement et sur presque tous les sujets à un interventionnisme plus marqué de l’Etat;
  18. "Mr. Taro Yamamoto "Reiwa Shinsen-gumi" justified "people in this country, a guardian, welcome to me"". Retrieved 26 April 2019.
  19. 山本太郎・参院議員が新党『れいわ新選組』を結党　消費税廃止を公約に (in Japanese). 12 April 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  20. Funago with ALS and Kimura with cerebral palsy
  21. "Reiwa Shinsengumi makes splash in Japanese election debut, giving voice to people with disabilities". 22 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  22. Submission, Internal (15 June 2020). "Reiwa Shinsengumi leader Taro Yamamoto to run for Tokyo governor". The Japan Times. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
  23. れいわ旋風で読めぬ「ステルス票」与野党は戦々恐々 (in Japanese). 16 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  24. "Reiwa Shinsengumi - Policies". Retrieved 23 July 2019.
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