Major Parties
| Party | Diet Representation | Party Leader | Comments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Representatives | Councillors | |||
| Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) Minshu-tō 民主党 ("Democratic Party") |
251 |
92 |
Yoshihiko Noda | The DPJ is Japan's largest party. It was formed in the late 1990s as a result of the merger of several anti-LDP parties. Its membership covers a broad spectrum of political beliefs, but it is generally perceived as a center-left party. |
| Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Jiyū Minshu-tō 自由民主党, or Jimin-tō 自民党 |
118 |
83 |
Shinzō Abe | The LDP is Japan's second largest political party. It is a conservative party and is made up of various conservative and centrist factions. Before 2009, the LDP had been in power almost continuously since 1955, when it was formed as a merger of early postwar Japan's two conservative parties, the Liberal Party of Japan, Occupation, and the Democrat Party of Japan, Occupation. |
Read more about this topic: Political Parties In Japan
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