Japan's junior ruling party Komeito approves 8th term for leader

TOKYO, Sep 26 (Nikkei) - Komeito, the junior coalition partner of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, on Sunday endorsed an eighth term for its leader Natsuo Yamaguchi ahead of a spate of local assembly elections next spring.

After formally being approved at the party's convention in Tokyo, Yamaguchi, 70, said Komeito "will do (its) utmost to support the Kishida administration."

Prime Minister and LDP chief Fumio Kishida, who attended the convention as a guest, congratulated Yamaguchi and called on the participants to "together overcome the difficulties faced by our nation."

Komeito is backed by Japan's largest lay Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai. The self-claimed "peace party" has been a part of the coalition government since 2012.

Yamaguchi, who has served as a lawmaker since 1990, is expected to take a leading role in securing as many seats as possible in the local elections across the country in April as Komeito plans to field a number of candidates. ...continue reading

Source: ANNnewsCH

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