On Sunday, Nippon Soshinto (the "Japan Innovation Party") was launched by a group of politicians with experience rooted in local government. Headed by Tokyo Suginami Ward Mayor Hiroshi Yamada, the party accuses both the Democratic Party of Japan and the Liberal Democratic Party of pursuing baramaki ("rose strewing") politics involving heavy, indiscriminate spending on public works projects and social welfare programs. Nippon Soshinto, which has no incumbent Diet members, is marketing itself as a party untainted by Nagata-cho politics.
On Monday, Osaka Prefecture Gov. Toru Hashimoto and prefectural and city assembly members established Osaka Ishin no Kai ("Osaka renewal association"), a local party with the goal of restructuring the prefecture in the manner of Tokyo. The envisioned entity would be composed of an Osaka metropolitan government and 20 wards, each with a population of about 300,000. Like Nippon Soshinto, Mr. Hashimoto's party aims to promote local autonomy and revitalization of local government.
Nippon Soshinto hopes to win five to 10 seats in the coming Upper House election. Its basic platform is that "the central government, local governments and people should each stand on their own" for the creation of a free and strong Japan. The party is very critical of the large public debt, with Mr. Yamada accusing the Hatoyama administration of lacking cost consciousness.