Top Japan Opposition CDP Launches New Leadership Team

Tokyo, Aug. 26 (Jiji Press)--The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan launched a new leadership team Friday, with veteran lawmaker Katsuya Okada, 69, picked as secretary-general.

Akira Nagatsuma, 62, became policy chief and Jun Azumi, 60, was named parliamentary affairs chief.

The new leadership team was approved at the day's meeting of the party's lawmakers in both chambers of the Diet, Japan's parliament.

With support from the experienced lawmakers, CDP leader Kenta Izumi aims to revive the party following its major setback in the election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, in July.

Okada, Nagatsuma and Azumi served as cabinet ministers when the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan, a predecessor of the CDP, was in power.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]