The Japan Innovation Party reappointed House of Representatives lawmaker Nobuyuki Baba as its leader on Sunday, as it accelerates efforts to become the country's biggest opposition force following its success in a series of local elections in April.
At its extraordinary convention in Osaka, where the party has a strong foothold, Baba said, "Our next goal is to secure the position of the largest opposition party in the upcoming lower house election. It will be an extremely challenging uphill battle."
Known for its hawkish views on foreign policy, the party is aligned with the Liberal Democratic Party, led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, on constitutional reform. Baba, who was elected as leader in 2022, had started his political career as an LDP member.
The Japan Innovation Party aims to expand its support base beyond the Kansai region, with Osaka as its center. Last month, the reform-minded party acquired 774 local leaders and assembly members across the nation, surging from 468 as of early February.
Baba's re-election came amid mounting speculation that Kishida may dissolve the lower house to call a snap election soon after he hosts the three-day Group of Seven summit from Friday in his home constituency of Hiroshima.
The LDP won four out of the five parliamentary seats up for grabs in by-elections in late April, apparently reflecting the positive reception of Kishida's diplomatic activism, including a surprise visit to Ukraine in March.
On Sunday, however, former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, an LDP heavyweight, expressed a negative stance on a possible early dissolution of the lower house, saying in a TV program, "We are not in such a situation."
Referring to the results of the by-elections, Suga said, "We achieved victories, but they were by a narrow margin. We need to take the fact seriously."
Meanwhile, Kenta Izumi, head of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said Friday that he would step down as its leader if the main opposition party fails to increase its seats to at least 150 from the current 97 in the next lower house election.
As of April 25, the LDP held 263 seats in the lower house, while the Japan Innovation Party had 41 lawmakers in the chamber, according to the parliament.
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