Japan’s largest opposition group unveiled a campaign platform that said it would stand for rights like supporting same-sex marriage and different surnames for couples, marking out differences with the conservative ruling party.
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), led by Yukio Edano, is facing a critical test in the 31 October general election, the first it is contesting since its formation last year, hoping to make a dent in the ruling party coalition that holds a clear majority in parliament.
But it is struggling in opinion polls, and with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) also emphasizing social safety nets and similar policies long espoused by the Democratic Party from which the CDPJ was formed, it is facing a battle to stake out its own territory.
Party president Yukio Edano told a news conference that the emphasis on legal steps towards diversity would be one of the biggest differences between the two groups – although the CDPJ also wants to steer away from nuclear power, which the LDP would retain as an option.
“This is clearly our biggest difference – (allowing) couples with different surnames, equality laws for LGBTQ+, and laws recognising same-sex marriage,” he said.
“We’d like a comprehensive strengthening of human rights so nobody is left behind.”
The LDP remains socially conservative and, while progress has been made on LGBTQ+ rights in society, much more needs to be done. New Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said during the LDP leadership race that he was not in favour of same-sex marriage, for example.
The CDPJ’s roots lie in the Democratic Party of Japan, which succeeded in defeating the LDP-Komeito alliance in 2009, and held power for a bit more than three years – a period that included the March 11, 2011 tsunami and disaster at the nuclear power station in Fukushima which tinged the party with an image of failure in the eye of voters.
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