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Shiga Gov Yukiko Kada said on Friday she was stepping down as leader of the anti-nuclear Nippon Mirai no To (Tomorrow Party of Japan) after the party's failure in the Dec 16 election.
Kada's announcement had been expected after a rift with former party member Ichiro Ozawa became public last week.
Kada has also been criticized by the Shiga prefectural assembly for neglecting her duties as governor to dabble in national politics. Kada told a press conference on Friday that she would devote her energies to her job as governor, TBS reported.
The Tomorrow Party, founded by Kada in late November, absorbed Ozawa's People's Life First party, and ran on an anti-nuclear platform. Fifteen of the party's 17 Diet members came from People's Life First, including veteran upper house member Shizuka Kamei.
Kamei was the first to quit after the election, telling reporters that he saw no future for him in the party. Kada then fell out with Ozawa over her decision to appoint Lower House member Tomoko Abe as co-head of the Tomorrow Party instead of Ozawa.
Abe is now the only Diet member in the party. Ozawa and the other Diet members have already formed a new party, named Seikatsu no To (Lifestyle Party).
© Japan Today
5 Comments
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smithinjapan
Ozawa formed another party AGAIN? How many is that in one year alone?
As for Kada, well, I agree with hatsoff -- just proof that they don't take any of this seriously and are not qualified to begin with.
Graham DeShazo
Wow, they don't call Ozawa "The Destroyer" for nothing....
Yubaru
She was forced to make a choice quit being the prefectural gov, or the party. The prefectural assembly was working on a no confidence vote and would have censured possibly sometime next week.
I wish other politicians who work in one position stick to it rather than get involved in something totally different and leave their constituents hanging.
hatsoff
All of those involved are a disgrace and they prove what we knew all along - that forming this party was just a plaything to them, a long shot at the big time but with very little belief in its ability to succeed. That's why Kada didn't quit her job as Shiga Governor. She neglected her people for her plaything. Ozawa is worse. He throws his toys out of the pram and forms new parties at the drop of a hat. No one wants him. Public service? Don't make me laugh.
alliswellinjapan
Guess the voters including those opposing nuclear energy were wise not to buy their agenda. So unfortunate that a just political argument can lose its credibility so easily even following such a devastating event.