Overview
- After talks with both parties' secretaries-general, Centrist Reform Alliance secretary-general Takeshi Shina said on March 10 that the Constitutional Democratic Party and Komeito will not merge into his group and are moving to field their own candidates in next spring’s unified local elections.
- Shina said the centrist bloc will aid those candidates through recommendation-style support and has not yet decided whether to run its own, citing continuing internal discussions.
- Komeito plans an extraordinary party congress on March 14 to formalize its stance for the unified local races.
- CDP leader Shunichi Mizuoka said on March 9 the party will set its approach at a March 29 congress and intends to keep its local councillors within the party through the election.
- The latest statements point to cooperation without organizational mergers, with final decisions still contingent on upcoming party votes.