The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) and the Party of Hope are each moving forward with setting up their own teams for inquiring into the scandals surrounding educational institution Moritomo Gakuen and Kake Educational Institution. Some sources question this approach, saying it will emphasize each party’s unique character but “will lessen the parties’ ability to exert pressure. It would be more effective for the two parties to join hands with each other and the Democratic Party (DP).”

With an eye toward setting up investigation teams, the two political parties held separate preparatory meetings and meetings to which they invited representatives of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). The CDPJ held their meetings on Nov. 6 and the Party of Hope on Nov. 7.

At the previous ordinary Diet session, the DP, prior to its breakup, set up separate investigation teams, one for each of the two issues. The teams delivered results to some degree, including independently obtaining audiotapes and MEXT documents and using them to seek confirmation from the government. With the Lower House election, the members of the teams are now divided among the CDPJ, the Party of Hope, and the DP.

According to sources, the Party of Hope sounded out the CDPJ about conducting a joint investigation, but the CDPJ insisted on conducting its own. Lower House member Masato Imai, who chaired the DP teams investigating the issues but who now is affiliated with the Party of Hope, said that he “is in contact with the DP,” but it does not look at present like the parties will set up joint teams.