The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan kicked off its leadership race with its sights set on replacing the ruling coalition in a Lower House election that may be called in the fall.

The outcome of the CDP’s election will determine who will challenge the new prime minister selected in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party presidential contest that will get under way shortly.

Through lively and engaging debates among the candidates, the struggling opposition party needs to offer an attractive and viable policy agenda to convince voters it is a credible governing alternative.

In an unexpected turn of events, two veteran politicians--Yukio Edano, the former leader who resigned after losing the previous Lower House election, and Yoshihiko Noda, the last prime minister from the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan--announced their candidacies.

The current leader, Kenta Izumi, struggled to gather enough endorsements from party Diet members........

© The Asahi Shimbun