The new leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan will inherit a fresh issue that could escalate and threaten the very existence of the main opposition party.
The fielding of unified candidates led to some close races and two major upsets, but political differences ultimately undermined the tie-up in the eyes of voters.
How should Japan get involved in the nuclear ban treaty, which is aimed at building a “world without nuclear weapons,” and bring about changes in the stances of nuclear powers?
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party suffered a setback on Oct. 24 when its candidate lost in the Upper House by-election in Shizuoka Prefecture, despite earlier reports that put him comfortably in the lead.
It is probably difficult for the communities in Fukushima Prefecture ravaged by the nuclear disaster to describe the weight of their struggles over the past 10 or so years.