In a Fuji TV program broadcast on Oct. 15, former Minister of the Environment Goshi Hosono, a founding member of the Party of Hope, denied merging again with the Democratic Party. “We have created a new party to present voters the option (of political parties) they can choose,” he said. “There will be no returning to the Democratic Party.”

Within the DP, some Upper House members oppose party leader Maehara’s plan to merge with the Party of Hope after the general election. A growing number of members are calling for the DP to reunite with those who left the party and are running in the general election on the ticket of the Party of Hope or the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. (Abridged)