Nine DPFP Diet members from both chambers will not join the new party that will come into existence by the merger of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) and Democratic Party for the People (DPFP), it was learned on Aug. 31. The nine lawmakers are backed by industry-based labor unions of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation (Rengo). Losing those members will be a blow to the new party, as the unions form a major voting bloc. (Abridged)

Upper House members backed by industry-based labor unions (proportional representation) are as follows:

DPFP

The Federation of Electric Power Related Industry Workers Unions of Japan (Denryoku Soren): Masao Kobayashi, Yoshifumi Hamano

Confederation of Japan Automobile Workers’ Unions (Jidosha Soren): Makoto Hamaguchi, Tetsuji Isozaki

The Japanese Federation of Textile, Chemical, Food, Commercial, Services and General Workers’ Unions (UA Zensen): Takanori Kawai, Mami Tamura

The Japanese Electrical, Electronic, and Information Unions (Denki Rengo): Wakako Yada

The Japan Federation of Basic Industry Workers Unions (Kikan Roren): No applicable member

The Japanese Association of Metal, Machinery, and Manufacturing Workers (JAM): No applicable member

(Additionally, in the Lower House, Shinichiro Furumoto is supported by Jidosha Soren and Satoshi Asano is supported by Denki Rengo.)

CDPJ

All Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers’ Union (Jichiro): Takashi Esaki, Makiko Kishi

Japan Teachers’ Union (Nikkyoso): Masayoshi Nataniya, Shunichi Mizuoka

Japan Postal Group Union (JP Roso): Shoji Nanba, Masahito Ozawa

The Federation of Information and Communication Technology Service Workers (Joho Roren): Michihiro Ishibashi, Saori Yoshikawa

General Federation of Private Railway Workers’ Union of Japan (Shitetsu Soren): Takashi Moriya