Yukio Edano

Yukio Edano (枝野 幸男) is a social liberal politician in Japan. He is the leader of Japan's main opposition, the of Japan. He is called the last hope of the Japanese 'liberal camp'. Ironically though, Edano has always described himself as a conservative because he launched his career in the early 90s as a member of the Japan New Party (a moderately conservative party that during its brief existence with the help of seven other parties, including all of the Japanese left wing parties except the Communists, managed to briefly kick the LDP out of government for the first time since 1955).

In 2017, the center-left bloc of the Democratic Party of Japan (DP) split away, forming the Constitutional Democratic Party which was launched by Edano, who was the Deputy President of the DP at the time. Edano, in a move that surprised many, consolidated Japan's historically fractured opposition in 2020, merging the CDP with the Democratic Party for the People and the Social Democratic Party of Japan, dissolving the latter. The CDP is the second largest party in Japan, a center-left alternative to the right-wing LDP. Despite being formed only less than three weeks before the election, the CDP ran a very efficient campaign and used social media in a level unprecedented in Japanese politics, allowing the CDP to become the second largest party in Japan and the largest opposition party to Shinzo Abe's government. Their meteoric rise stunned longtime Japan analysts and observers who felt they underestimated Edano.

Edano resigned in 2021 after poorer than expected election results, but the CPD remained the largest opposition bloc. 47-year old Kenta Izumi became the new CDP leader, succeeding Edano in 2021. Edano was fiercely criticized for allying with the Communist Party of Japan, and the media shitstorm from that decision definitely played a part in his defeat. However, Edano's strategy to have all opposition parties launch a joint policy platform and form an anti-LDP civil coalition provided a blueprint for the CDP and its allies to gain seats without splitting the vote.

Political positions

 * Opposition to constitutional amendment.
 * Opposition to Japanese ultra-nationalism.
 * Post-nuclear energy.
 * Improvement in relations with South Korea.
 * Advocacy of sexual minorities and women's rights.
 * Support for minorities in Japan, advocacy for Korean human rights and opposition to racial discrimination.
 * Support for freedom of expression (opposition to ).
 * Promotion of welfare policies and human rights for children and the disabled.
 * Advocacy of grassroots democracy and liberal populism.
 * Criticism of the political ties between Donald Trump and Shinzō Abe.