The Osaka-based party could become more prominent on the national stage by aligning itself more closely with the LDP, but the risk of a split looms too.
Three candidates entered the race for the leadership of the Japan Innovation Party on Sunday to succeed Ichiro Matsui, as the party steps up efforts to become the country's biggest opposition force after significantly increasing its parliamentary seats in the last two national elections. The conservative party's co-leader Nobuyuki Baba…
Two opposition parties looking into the involvement of their members with the Unification Church or related groups said a total of 16 lawmakers had some connection, but not in the form of political donations or organized support in elections.