Komeito kicks off national convention, ushers in new leadership

September 29 , 2024

On September 28, Komeito held its national convention in which the party commemorated the 60th anniversary of its founding and inaugurated Komeito’s departure under new leadership. Keiichi Ishii, the former secretary general, was unanimously elected Chief Representative to replace the outgoing Natsuo Yamaguchi.

Ishii was joined by Makoto Nishida, House of Councillors member, as secretary general and Mitsunari Okamoto, House of Representatives member, as chair of the Policy Research Council.

In his inaugural address, Ishii pointed to three upcoming elections—the first for the Lower House to be held later this year and two others in 2025, the Tokyo metropolitan assembly and the Upper House—as contests critical to Komeito’s future successes.

As to the coalition government between the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito, Ishii assigned reforms to legislators’ dependence on unregulated money as the highest priority for the ruling partnership. It was imperative, he said, to restore public confidence in domestic politics.

In order to fortify the newly amended Political Funds Control Act, Ishii cited the need to set up an independent third-party agency to monitor the flow and usage of political finances. He also called for further reforms to the “political activity allowance” that other political parties pay to their respective parliament members—ostensibly to conduct policy research, public and media relations and other activities—to enhance transparency over how it is spent and whether what is not spent should be returned to state coffers.

Komeito does not provide the allowance to its legislators.

In closing, Ishii reaffirmed Komeito’s founding commitment to give political voice to the socially vulnerable and underrepresented, and to advance peace and promote social welfare, education, human rights and environmental protection.

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