On April 8, Liberal Democratic Party Executive Acting Secretary-General Hakubun Shimomura encouraged former Senior Vice Defense Minister Akihisa Nagashima to join the LDP. Nagashima has announced his intention to leave the Democratic Party. “Nagashima is outstanding,” Shimomura told a group of reporters in Chiba City. “We welcome him to join our party.” Nagashima said he decided to leave the DP because he is opposed to the party leadership’s decision to cooperate in elections with the Japanese Communist Party.  “Nagashima is conservative,” Shimomura added. “His decision is only natural.”