Japanese liberalism(自由主義 or リベラリズム) formed in the nineteenth century as a reaction against traditional society. In the twentieth century 'liberal' (自由) gradually became a synonym for conservative, and today the main conservative party in the country is named Liberal Democratic Party. The defunct Democratic Party was considered in part a centrist-liberal party, as are most parties which derived from it. The liberal character of the Liberal League is disputed, as it is also considered to be conservative by some. This article is limited to liberal (リベラル) parties with substantial support, proved by having had representation in parliament.
The Next Cabinet is the de facto shadow cabinet of Japan, first used from 1999 to 2009, and from 2012 to 2017 when the Democratic Party of Japan and its 2016 successor were the country's main opposition party to the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito's governing coalition. The Next Cabinet was unused since 2017, but was revived by the Constitutional Democratic Party in 2022 under party leader Kenta Izumi for the Next Japanese general election.
Kaname Tajima is a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives in the Diet as a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. A native of Nagoya, Aichi he attended the University of Tokyo and also earned MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He was elected for the first time in 2003 after working at NTT for 20 years.
Akira Nagatsuma is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), a member of House of Representatives in the Diet. Nagatsuma is currently the deputy leader and the head of the Tokyo chapter of the CDP. He had served as the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare in the Hatoyama and Kan administration. He came to prominence when he reported missing records of public pension plans. A native of Nerima, Tokyo and graduate of Keio University, he was elected for the first time in 2000 after unsuccessful runs in 1995 and 1996.
Yoshio Hachiro is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party and a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet.
Shu Watanabe is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet of Japan. A native of Numazu, Shizuoka and graduate of Waseda University, he worked at the national newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun from 1987 to 1999. He was elected to the first of his two terms in the assembly of Shizuoka Prefecture in 1991 and then to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1996. He is an assenter of "The Truth about Nanjing (movie)." He was previously a member of Kibō no Tō, being the party's candidate for Prime Minister, and the Democratic Party of Japan, along with the Democratic Party for the People.
Kenta Izumi is a Japanese politician who has been the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) and the de facto Leader of the Opposition since 30 November 2021. He is also a member of the House of Representatives in the National Diet, currently for the Kyoto 3rd district. He was first elected in 2000 under the Democratic Party of Japan. He served as Parliamentary Vice-Minister of the Cabinet Office from 2009 to 2010. After that, he served as chairman of the National Diet Measures Committee and Political Affairs Research Chairman of the Kibō no Tō, the Democratic Party for the People, and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.
Yukio Edano is a Japanese politician who served as the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan from its formation in 2017 until 2021.
Makiko Kikuta is a Japanese politician and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet. A native of Kamo, Niigata, she graduated from a high school in Kamo and studied in Heilongjiang University in China. After having served in the assembly of Kamo for two terms since 1995, she ran unsuccessfully for the Niigata-4th seat in the House of Representatives in 2000 as a member of Ichirō Ozawa's Liberal Party, which merged into the DPJ in 2003. She ran again in 2003 and was elected for the first time.
Kōichirō Genba is a Japanese politician who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2011 to 2012. He is a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet, and was a member to the Democratic Party of Japan and its successor Democratic Party until its merger in 2018. He left the party briefly before the merger, and joined the Group of Independents House of Representatives caucus of other former Democrats a few days later. A native of Tamura, Fukushima and graduate of Sophia University, he was later accepted into the prestigious Matsushita Institute of Government and Management, an institution founded by Panasonic founder Konosuke Matsushita which grooms future civic leaders of Japan. Genba was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1993 after serving in the assembly of Fukushima Prefecture for one term. In September 2011 he was chosen as Minister for Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.
Yasuko Komiyama is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet. A native of Kawagoe, Saitama, she attended Keio University and received a master's degree from Nihon University. After having served in the assembly of Saitama Prefecture for two terms since 1995, she ran unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives in 2000 as an independent and in 2001 as a member of Ichirō Ozawa's Liberal Party. She ran once again in 2003, this time as a member of the Democratic Party of Japan, and was elected for the first time.
Shoichi Kondo is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet. He is a former member of the Democratic Party (DP), the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), and New Party Sakigake. After he joined the DPJ in 1996, he was elected to the House of Representatives.
Takeshi Shina is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet. A 1991 graduate of the University of Tokyo, he was elected for the first time in 2007.
Emi Kaneko is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet. A native of Fukushima Prefecture, she did her undergraduate study at Hosei University and later earned master's degrees from California State University, Fresno and Fukushima University. After serving in the town assembly of Hobara, Fukushima for two terms and the city assembly of Date, Fukushima. In 2007, she was elected to the House of Councillors in Fukushima at-large district but she lost reelection 2013. Since 2014 she has been a member of the House of Representatives, representing Fukushima 1st district.
Hiroe Makiyama is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party and a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet representing the Kanagawa at-large district. Makiyama is part of the CDP's shadow cabinet 'Next Cabinet' as the shadow Minister of Justice.
Tadatomo Yoshida is a Japanese politician and former member of the House of Councillors from the proportional representation constituency. He was elected twice, in 2010 and in 2019. He previously served as an Ōita prefectural assembly member.
Eri Tokunaga is a Japanese politician and former television reporter from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. She currently serves as member of the House of Councillors for the Hokkaido At-large district. Tokunaga is part of the CDP's shadow cabinet 'Next Cabinet' as the shadow Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary.
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is a liberal political party in Japan. It is the primary centre-left party in Japan, and as of 2024 is the second largest party in the National Diet behind the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Hideya Sugio is a Japanese politician who is a member of the House of Councillors of Japan.
Kenji Katsube is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan since 2019. He is one of the six representatives of the Hokkaido at-large district, and is a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party.
