By Itsuo Higashikubo

On Oct. 25 former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama held in Tokyo a meeting where he expressed his intention to create a new party. He plans to call it the “Republican Party.” By calling for independence from U.S. “control of Japan” and creating a republic of East Asia, he intends to attract like-minded people.

The meeting was the first preparatory meeting for the new party. “I have to launch a preparatory campaign,” said Hatoyama. “Today’s meeting is the first step.” No Diet members are participating at present. Hatoyama intends to gather people who agree with his idea. The former prime minister said he will launch the new party with 30 Diet members by 2030.