JAPAN: New Japanese political party forms from dissidents, "Tachiagare Nippon"

A new Japanese third pole political party, Tachiagare Nippon, or "The Sunrise Party of Japan."  (image: Tachiagare Nippon press release)

April 11, 7:14 AM

By Joshua Williams

A new Japanese political party named “Tachiagare Nippon” was officially announced on April 10th by six active politicians unhappy with the current top national political trends.

Tachiagare has been formed largely from dissident members of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the long-standing political party that lead Japan until their historical defeat to the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in the lower house elections last fall. The six founders include five Japanese Diet members – three from the lower house (Takeo Hiranuma, Kaoru Yosano, and Hiroyuki Sonoda) and two from the upper house (Takao Fujii and Yoshio Nakagawa) – as well as the Governor of Tokyo (Shintaro Ishihara).

The name Tachiagare Nippon literally translates to “Stand up, Japan” or “Rise, Japan,” but according to Sankei News the group has chosen the official English name of “The Sunrise Party of Japan.”  Along the similar themes, the group has created a party symbol that combines Mt. Fuji, the rising sun, and the ocean - things which the group says expresses the beauty of the Japanese nation.

Tachiagare states that they have taken on a three point main stance of overthrowing the DPJ, revitalizing Japan, and realigning politics. They have also stated outright that they are going to be “anti-DPJ and un-LDP.” 

Kaoru Yosano proclaimed at an April 10th press conference, “The DPJ has no political philosophy or thought. The LPD does not have the necessary fighting spirit to be the main opposition party.”

However, the new party has a couple disadvantages from the start. First is their size; while they are aiming to increase their numbers in the Japanese Diet during the next election to stop the DJP from having a simple majority, they are currently only five members strong. Winning new seats will not be an easy task, particularly with other smaller parties vying for seats as well.

Also, there is a problem of age; the founding group’s youngest member is 67 years old. The Mainichi reported that other politicians have begun making jokes about the group, calling them the “New Silver Party” or the “Twilight Party,” and questioning their ability to appeal to younger voters.

Beyond that, some question if they are really any different from the LDP.

Whether Tachiagare, or any of the other minor non-DPJ or LDP coalition political parties, will be able to create the momentum for a new wave of third party power in the Japanese national politics will not be known at least until summer, when the next set of national elections for the upper house is scheduled.

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