Reiwa Shinsengumi May Limit Candidates for Lower House

By Barrier Free Japan, Jiji Press

August 17 2020

TOKYO – Japanese political party Reiwa Shinsengumi may limit the number of candidates to about 50 if a general election is called soon, leader Taro Yamamoto said in a recent interview with Jiji Press. 

The party previously planned to field as many as 100 candidates in the next election for the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament.

 “We still aim to field up to 100 candidates, but if there is no time until the election, the number may end up being about 50,” Yamamoto said.

 The party currently has 11 candidates for the Lower House poll. It plans to recruit more while watching circumstances, he said.

“Now is not the time to resume recruiting candidates given the coronavirus outbreak and as there are no signs of an immediate snap election,” he said.

In July 2019, two people with disabilties, Yasuhiko Funago and Eiko Kimura won upper house election after both ran as candidates for the Reiwa Shinsengumi.