On July 28, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) announced the election of a new chairperson for their parliamentary group in the Upper House as the current term is to expire. The CDPJ’s Mizuoka Shunichi (66), the current chairperson, threw his hat in the ring. As there were no other candidates, Mizuoka was elected uncontested for a new two-year term. The election result is to be approved at the general assembly of the parliamentary group’s Upper House members on July 29.