OSAKA: Hirofumi Yoshimura, the governor of Osaka and a prominent political figure, has been elected as the leader of Japan's second-largest opposition group, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP). Yoshimura, 49, assumes this role with a commitment to revitalizing the party after a setback in October's general election, where it lost seats in the lower house of parliament.

Yoshimura's leadership comes at a critical time for the government of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito no longer holds a majority in the House of Representatives, prompting a need for greater collaboration with opposition parties.

After securing nearly 80% of the votes in the JIP's internal election, Yoshimura outlined his priorities. He emphasized the importance of building alliances with other opposition groups ahead of next summer's House of Councillors election.

"We are not aiming to be the top opposition party," Yoshimura said during a press conference at the party's extraordinary convention in Osaka. "Our goal is to break the ruling coalition's majority in the upper house. That will bring us closer to delivering on our promises."

The JIP, which has its roots in the Kansai region surrounding Osaka, plans to focus its efforts locally rather than fielding candidates nationwide. In the recent general election on October 27, the JIP's seats in the lower house decreased from 43 to 38, while rival opposition parties saw modest gains.

Yoshimura also expressed his intention to appoint veteran politician Seiji Maehara, a former foreign minister, as the party's deputy leader.

In the leadership race, Yoshimura secured 8,547 votes out of 10,809, defeating three other contenders, including Shigefumi Matsuzawa, a former governor of Kanagawa Prefecture. Voting rights were extended to special party members, including lawmakers and local assembly members, as well as general members who had maintained their memberships for at least two years.

Yoshimura succeeds Nobuyuki Baba, who stepped down to take responsibility for the party’s recent electoral performance.

Yoshimura's political journey began with a brief stint as a lower house member before serving as the mayor of Osaka city from 2015 to 2019. He was elected governor of Osaka Prefecture in 2019. Under his leadership, the JIP played a pivotal role in securing the 2025 World Exposition for Osaka and won several local elections in 2023. However, the party has faced criticism for the escalating costs associated with hosting the event.

The lack of a ruling majority in the 465-member lower house has left the LDP and Komeito reliant on opposition support to pass legislation, setting the stage for complex cross-party negotiations.

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