New Komeito Party
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| Image:Home logo.gif | |
| Party President: | Takenori Kanzaki |
| Secretary General: | Tetsuzo Fuyushiba |
| Founded: | 1998 |
| Representatives | 31 |
| Councillors | 24 |
| Headquarters: |
17 Minamimoto-machi |
| Political ideology: | conservative and buddhist |
| Website: | New Clean Government Party of Japan |
The New Clean Government Party (Template:Lang-ja, Kōmeitō) or NKP, often translated as "New Komeito Party", is a political party in Japan formed by Daisaku Ikeda, leader of the Buddhist organisation Soka Gakkai. (New Komeito's view on politics and religion). It considers itself Japan's answer to Germany's CDU. The present New Clean Government Party was formed as a result of a merger between the Clean Government Party (Former) and the New Peace Party on November 7, 1998.
The Party's mission is to pioneer "people-centered politics, a politics based on a humanitarianism that treats human life with the utmost respect and care" (New Komeito, 2002). Domestically, the Party proposals include reduction of the central government and bureaucracy, increased transparency in public affairs, and increased local (prefectural) autonomy with the private sector playing an increased role. With regard to Foreign Policy, the Party wishes to eliminate nuclear arms and armed conflict in general. In so doing, the party hopes to bring about the "dawn of a new civilization of mankind" (Ibid).
The New Komeito Party had a predecessor with a similar (though more to the left and very radical) ideology, but the current conservative, more moderate, party was formed in 1998, as noted, between a merger of the Clean Government Party and the New Peace Party. It supported the ruling Liberal Democrats and did well in the 2000 and 2001 Parliamentary elections.
In the 2003 and 2004 Dietary elections, the New Komeito Party did well, thanks to an extremely committed and well -organised voter base in Soka Gakkai. As the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's junior coalition partner, it is becoming a major political force in modern Japan.
Currently, the party is in a majority coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
The party shares its support base with the LDP, made up of white collar bureaucrats and rural populations, but also gains support from religious leaders.
However, July 27, 2005, New Komeito's secretary general said that his party would entertain forming a coalition government with the Democratic Party of Japan if, in a snap election, the DPJ took a majority in the House of Representatives. [1] On August 8, 2005, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi dissolved the Lower House and called for a general election, scheduled for September 11, due to the rejection of efforts to privatize Japan Post.
See also
- Politics of Japan
- Japan
- Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
- Japan general election, 2003
- Clean Government Party (Former)
- Clean Government Political Assembly
- List of political parties in Japan
External links
The official website of New Komeito. It has a very organized English section with history, policies, and party platforms. It has both an e-mail form and also an e-mail address.de:Kōmeitō fr:Nouveau Kōmeitō ja:公明党