PRESS CONFERENCE
Junya Ogawa, leader of the Centrist Reform Alliance (Chudo kaikaku rengo)

13:30-14:30 Wednesday, April 22, 2026
The speech and Q & A will be in Japanese with English interpretation.

Can Japan’s Liberal Opposition Make a Comeback?
Sanae Takaichi led the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to a landslide win in February’s general election, giving them a firm majority in the Lower House. That historic victory wiped out much of the Japanese left and saw the main liberal opposition party, the Centrist Reform Alliance, or Chudo Kaikaku Rengo in Japanese, lose two-thirds of its seats, from 167 to 49.

It is Junya Ogawa’s job to try to claw back some of those seats and rebuild the influence of the party, which was formed from a hasty merger of the Komeito and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. Ogawa, 54, was elected president of the party after the election defeat, and he faces an uphill battle given the party's diminished standing and aging voter base.

Can Ogawa revive the Centrists, who were formed from an unlikely marriage of the left-leaning Constitutional Democrats and the Komeito, a Buddhist party that was a coalition partner of the governing LDP for more than 25 years? Can he turn the tide against Japan's conservative swing under Takaichi and win back younger voters who have embraced populist rightwing parties like Sanseito?

Ogawa has kindly agreed to come to the FCCJ and discuss his views. Please join us for a look at the future of liberal politics in Japan -- and indeed whether the political left has a future.

How to attend: 
Please register by emailing front@fccj.or.jp with your name and the name of your media outlet. FCCJ members should also include their membership number. Doors will open 15 minutes before the event.

How to watch online: https://www.youtube.com/c/FCCJchannel/live  

How to ask questions: https://forms.gle/HnbnkaDiiuUVXhHJA

TV crew: Please make a reservation at front@fccj.or.jp. Doors open for TV crews only at 30 minutes before the event. FCCJ will limit live-streaming of FCCJ-hosted press conferences to Club members only. Non-members will no longer be permitted to live-stream these events. However, non-members may still film for reporting purposes and use footage after the press conference.  

Professional Activities Committee