Despite doubling its number of seats in last month’s Upper House election, Nippon Ishin no Kai faces an uncertain future as it heads into its first-ever leadership election later this month.
The Osaka-based and largely Kansai-focused party will elect one of three candidates on Aug. 27 to replace its leader and co-founder, Osaka Mayor Ichiro Matsui.
Among the three candidates, party executive Nobuyuki Baba is considered the front-runner, having received Matsui’s backing as well as support from 306 out of some 600 national and local party members. The other two candidates are Lower House lawmaker Yasushi Adachi and Upper House member Mizuho Umemura.
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