Takako Doi, leader of the Social Democratic Party, vowed Saturday to make her opposition party a force for the ruling camp to reckon with in its drive to safeguard the war-renouncing Constitution.
In a speech delivered at a one-day party convention, Doi, 71, said her party will continue to stand by the under-privileged while attaching greater importance to having women stand up to the tripartite ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party, the New Komeito party and the New Conservative Party.
She also encouraged party colleagues to try their best in the upcoming contests.