New head of opposition party CDP Noda to challenge LDP in general election

After securing leadership for Japan's main opposition party on Monday, former prime minister Yoshihiko Noda is posed to challenge the ruling party in the future general election.

The 67-year-old faced three rivals in the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leadership election: former CDP leader Yukio Edano, incumbent leader Kenta Izumi and first-term Lower House member Harumi Yoshida. After an initial round of voting, Noda advanced to a runoff against Edano, which he ultimately won.

Noda is now preparing for the possibility of a snap election, in which he will contend with a new leader from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

The LDP is set to elect its new chief on Friday, with the chosen successor to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expected to dissolve the Lower House and call a general election by the end of the year.

The CDP has aimed to present a seasoned candidate and provide a recognizable alternative to the incoming leader of the LDP. Following his election as CDP leader, Noda said he believes there will be an early dissolution of the Lower House, and he is ready for the challenge.

Noda has vowed to shift the left-leaning CDP's policy toward a more centrist stance, aiming to appeal to a wider range of voters dissatisfied with the LDP. His first challenge will be uniting the various groups within his party, as many CDP members joined through a merger with other parties.

In preparation for the upcoming general election, he will also need to build alliances with other opposition parties to present unified candidates in key constituencies, minimizing the risk of splitting the opposition vote.

On Monday, Noda addressed the LDP's slush fund scandal and raised concerns about the practice of politicians inheriting electoral districts from family members. He emphasized that the most significant political reform would be ending the influence of money in politics and curbing hereditary politics through a change in government.