Yukio Edano

2.1. Birth and Background

Yukio Edano (枝野 幸男_{Edano Yukio}^Japanese, Chi Dã Hạnh Nam_{Chi Da Hanh Nam}^Vietnamese) was born on May 31, 1964, in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, into a salaryman family. His given name, Yukio, was chosen by his grandfather in admiration of the renowned progressive liberal political figure Yukio Ozaki, often referred to as a "god of constitutional government." This early influence contributed to Edano's aspiration to become a politician from a young age.

2.2. Education and Early Career

Edano received his early education at Utsunomiya City Mine Elementary School and Utsunomiya City Yoto Junior High School, where he served as student council president at both. During his time at Tochigi Prefectural Utsunomiya High School, he demonstrated his oratorical skills by winning the school's speech contest for three consecutive years, addressing topics such as environmental issues, labor problems, and public servants. He was also a member of the chorus club in both junior and senior high school, achieving national championships in the NHK National School Music Contest for two consecutive years in junior high.

After graduating from high school, he pursued legal studies at Tohoku University's Faculty of Law, where he was a classmate of Masako Mori. During his studies under constitutional scholar Kazushi Kojima, Edano developed the understanding that both the constitution and laws serve as fundamental tools. He graduated from Tohoku University in 1987 and successfully passed the Japanese bar examination at the age of 24 in 1988. He then joined a law firm in Tokyo as a lawyer, registered with the Second Tokyo Bar Association (registration number: 22259), a career path he chose due to its perceived higher potential for entering politics compared to that of a salaryman.

3.1. Entry into Politics

Yukio Edano's political career began in 1992, when Morihiro Hosokawa founded the Japan New Party (JNP), a reformist political organization. Attracted by Hosokawa's ideals of anti-corruption and idealism, Edano, then a lawyer in Tokyo, applied to become a candidate for the House of Representatives in the upcoming 1993 general election. After a rigorous screening process, he was selected as the JNP candidate for the Saitama 5th district. Despite lacking funding and political experience, and facing a rushed schedule due to an unexpected dissolution of the House, Edano adopted a grassroots campaign strategy, delivering street speeches in the mornings, similar to the approach later used by Yoshihiko Noda. He was successfully elected, placing second behind Kiyoshi Ueda.

3.2. Early Diet Activities and Policy Work

Following the election, the Hosokawa Cabinet, the first non-LDP government since the 1950s, was formed. Edano became a member of the Commerce and Industry Committee, contributing to the drafting of the Product Liability Law. He also attempted to modernize the JNP's party operations, which were often criticized as "Hosokawa's personal shop," but faced resistance from the party's bureaucracy. When Prime Minister Hosokawa resigned in April 1994 due to a campaign finance scandal, Edano voted for Tsutomu Hata as the next prime minister, determined to prevent the LDP from returning to power. Later, he opposed the JNP's decision to dissolve its unified parliamentary group with the New Party Sakigake in favor of a new alliance. Consequently, he left the JNP in May 1994 to briefly form his own parliamentary group, "Democratic Wind," before joining the "Sakigake-Seiun-Democratic Wind" unified group. He notably voted against a motion of no confidence against the Hata Cabinet, a move that divided the Sakigake group.

In June 1994, the Murayama Cabinet, a coalition between the LDP, the Japan Socialist Party, and the New Party Sakigake, was formed. Edano joined the New Party Sakigake and served as vice chairman of its Policy Research Group under Naoto Kan. In January 1996, with the formation of the First Hashimoto Cabinet, Edano voted for confidence in the new prime minister, Ryutaro Hashimoto, despite initial hesitations stemming from Hashimoto's resistance to removing blood products from the Product Liability Law. In this new cabinet, he chaired an administrative reform team, proposing his own civil service reform plan that included blanket hiring for civil servants and measures to curb "Amakudari" (the post-retirement employment of bureaucrats in organizations they previously oversaw). He also co-founded a bipartisan study group for young politicians, which was seen as a networking platform for those interested in joining the nascent Democratic Party.

Edano played a crucial role in investigating the HIV-tainted blood scandal that began in 1995. After being contacted by the plaintiffs' defense team, he became convinced of the government's responsibility. He facilitated a confidential meeting between Minister of Welfare Shoichi Ide and the victims in August 1995. When the Ministry of Health and Welfare refused to accept responsibility even after a court recommendation for settlement, Edano pursued the matter through the House of Representatives Committee on Health and Welfare, submitting a written inquiry to the Ministry. He supported Naoto Kan's efforts to resolve the issue, which led to the discovery of crucial documents and the government's eventual apology in February 1996. He presided over the ministerial apology and participated in questioning former AIDS research team head Hideo Abe in July.

4.1. Formation and Early Roles

Yukio Edano participated in the formation of the Democratic Party in 1996. In the 1996 Japanese general election, he contested the Saitama 5th district, leading a volunteer-centric campaign. Although he narrowly lost to the incumbent LDP candidate Nobuhiko Fukunaga, he was successfully re-elected to the House of Representatives through proportional representation from the Northern Kanto block. In 1997, he was appointed Policy Research Chairman of the Democratic Party. That May, he co-founded the "2010 Association," a political group of young House of Representatives members who criticized the "clan-like" nature of Japanese politics and the veteran members from the Social Democratic Party. He became the chief organizer of this group.

In January 1998, the old Democratic Party, along with other opposition parties, formed the unified parliamentary group "Min'yuren." Edano also participated in the "Dash no Kai," a study group for young MPs within this alliance. As an opposition legislator, he became known for his prolific legislative work, submitting numerous bills including proposals for optional separate surnames for married couples, the establishment of an administrative oversight agency, and stricter laws against child prostitution and child pornography. He was recognized as a central figure in the "legislative boom" of the 1990s.

In April 1998, the Democratic Party, the Good Governance Party, the New Fraternity Party, and splinters from the New Frontier Party merged to form the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), aiming to create a large, unified opposition force. Edano was appointed Chief Deputy Chairman of the party's Policy Research Group. He played a significant role in the passage of the Financial Reconstruction Act during the "Financial Diet," where he, along with other "policy new humans" like Yasuhisa Shiozaki and Nobuteru Ishihara, gained attention for their specialized knowledge and direct engagement in policy-making, bypassing traditional bureaucratic and old-guard political influences.

In the January 1999 DPJ leadership election, Edano supported Shigefumi Matsuzawa, who advocated for the privatization of postal services and special government-owned corporations. Later, in the September 1999 leadership election, he served as campaign secretary for Naoto Kan, who ultimately lost to Yukio Hatoyama. Under Hatoyama's leadership, Edano was appointed Acting Chairman of the Policy Research Group and served as Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary within the party's "Next Cabinet" system.

4.2. Roles in Opposition DPJ

In the 2000 Japanese general election, Yukio Edano successfully reclaimed his constituency in Saitama's 5th district, marking a general success for the newly formed Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). Following this, in November 2000, he initiated a new study group primarily composed of young legislators (three terms or less) who were former members of the New Party Sakigake, a group he had also previously belonged to. In 2002, he co-founded "Ryounkai" (凌雲会^Japanese) with Yoshito Sengoku and Seiji Maehara, serving as its treasurer. This group functioned primarily as a conservative pressure organization within the DPJ.

In December 2002, when Naoto Kan returned as party leader after Yukio Hatoyama's resignation, Edano was appointed Policy Research Chairman and became Chief Cabinet Secretary in the party's "Next Cabinet." He played a key role in announcing the DPJ's manifesto before the 2003 Japanese general election, in which he held his constituency with an expanded margin. In 2004, after Katsuya Okada succeeded Kan as party leader, Edano was appointed chairman of the party's Constitutional Research Committee.

The 2005 Japanese general election was challenging for the DPJ, which lost 65 seats nationally. However, Edano was re-elected in his home constituency by a five-point margin, overcoming the "Koizumi Fever." After Okada resigned due to the party's poor performance, Edano supported his ally, Seiji Maehara, in the subsequent leadership election. Maehara won but resigned shortly after due to a scandal involving an alleged fake email. Edano then assumed the position of acting secretary-general for the party's strategy and communication. Around this time, he also began participating in the "Kuni no Katachi Kenkyukai" (国のかたち研究会^Japanese), a political group aligned with Naoto Kan.

Following Ichirō Ozawa's election as party representative in 2006, Edano temporarily stepped away from formal party leadership roles. In September 2008, he briefly considered running for party representative to prevent Ozawa's re-election without a challenge, but he ultimately could not secure the necessary endorsements from other Diet members. In the 2009 Japanese general election, Edano was overwhelmingly re-elected by a 20-point margin as the DPJ achieved a landslide victory, bringing the party into power.

4.3. In Government

Yukio Edano held several significant ministerial and governmental roles during the Democratic Party's time in power, playing a key part in various administrative and crisis responses.

4.3.2. Kan Cabinet

At the end of May 2010, the Hatoyama Cabinet resigned. In the subsequent election for the successor to the party leadership, Yukio Edano, alongside Seiji Maehara and Katsuya Okada, supported Naoto Kan. In June, Edano was appointed Secretary-General of the Democratic Party. He led the party through the 2010 Japanese House of Councillors election, where the DP's minority in the House of Councillors further diminished by three seats. Following the inauguration of the first reshuffled Kan Cabinet in September, he resigned as Secretary-General and was succeeded by Katsuya Okada, though he was then appointed acting Secretary-General at Okada's request.

Due to a cabinet reshuffle in January 2011, Edano was appointed Chief Cabinet Secretary in the second Kan Cabinet, concurrently serving as Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs. At 46 years and 7 months old, he was the second-youngest Chief Cabinet Secretary in Japanese history. In early March, following the resignation of Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara, Edano served as interim Minister for Foreign Affairs until Takeaki Matsumoto was appointed. On June 27, after Renhō resigned as Minister for Administrative Reform to become an advisor to the Prime Minister, Edano was re-appointed to the Administrative Reform portfolio, marking his return to the role approximately a year after the Hatoyama Cabinet's resignation. Naoto Kan later praised Edano's work during this period, noting in his 1998 book that although Edano was a freshman legislator, "he was well-versed in law as a lawyer and had been active as a policy man."

4.3.3. Noda Cabinet

With the formation of the Noda Cabinet following Naoto Kan's resignation, Yukio Edano initially stepped down from his roles as Chief Cabinet Secretary and Minister for Administrative Reform, stating his intention to support the new government as a private citizen. However, just ten days later, on September 12, 2011, he was appointed the 16th Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, succeeding Yoshio Hachiro, who had resigned due to inappropriate behavior concerning the Fukushima nuclear meltdown. On October 3, 2011, Edano was also appointed Special Minister for Compensation of Nuclear Damage and Decommissioning Facilitation Corporation, indicating his continued involvement in post-Fukushima recovery efforts. In November 2011, the "Ryounkai" political group, to which Edano belonged, reorganized, with Seiji Maehara becoming its chairman and Edano assuming the role of secretary-general.

• Nuclear Power Plants**

In his capacity as METI Minister, Edano was deeply involved in decisions regarding Japan's nuclear power infrastructure after the Fukushima disaster. On April 3, 2012, following a periodic inspection, he declared that Units 3 and 4 of the Kansai Electric Power Company's Ōi Nuclear Power Plant, which had been offline, met the government's safety standards. He emphasized the "necessity to restart" these units, citing a potential 20% power shortage in Kansai Electric's service area if a heat wave similar to 2010 occurred and the plants remained idle, which would also lead to increased electricity rates. On April 14, he met with Issei Nishikawa, the governor of Fukui Prefecture, to explain the critical need for the restarts and seek his cooperation. Despite his efforts, on June 1, Edano stated that both Ōi units would not reach full capacity until "beyond July," meaning they would not be ready by July 2, when a 15% power saving request was set to begin.

On June 16, the government formally decided to restart the Ōi Nuclear Power Plant with Governor Nishikawa's consent. Two days later, on June 18, Edano instructed KEPCO President Makoto Yagi to ensure thorough safety in preparing for the restarts. However, on July 25, after Unit 4 resumed full operation, KEPCO President Yagi stated his desire to prioritize the restart of Takahama Nuclear Power Plant Units 3 and 4, which were also shut down. Edano publicly expressed his displeasure, stating, "This is a very unpleasant comment. There is no way we can restart operations without thoroughly checking safety," and urged patience for the evaluation and judgment of the new Nuclear Regulation Authority, which was to be established that September. On August 28, he acknowledged that the power supply situation in KEPCO's jurisdiction "would have been very dire" had the Ōi Power Plant not restarted, as the region had successfully met its summer power-saving targets.

Edano also addressed the status of other nuclear power plant constructions. On September 15, 2012, during a meeting in Aomori Prefecture with Governor Shingo Mimura and local municipal heads, he conveyed his de facto approval for resuming construction of the Ōma Nuclear Power Plant (Aomori Prefecture) and Shimane Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3 (Shimane Prefecture), both of which had been halted after the 2011 earthquake. He clarified that METI did not intend to alter the treatment of nuclear power plants that had already received construction permits, signaling that if the new Nuclear Regulation Authority confirmed their safety, construction could resume. Consequently, in September 2012, Edano approved the resumption of construction for the Shimane plant, and in October, the Ōma Power Plant was also given the go-ahead.

4.4. Post-Cabinet DPJ Years

In the 2012 Japanese general election, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) suffered a devastating defeat, leading to its return to opposition. However, Yukio Edano managed to retain his single-seat constituency in Saitama's 5th district by a margin of five points, becoming the only DPJ member to hold a single-seat constituency in Saitama during that election. In September 2014, he was appointed Secretary-General of the DPJ. He again held his seat in the 2014 Japanese general election, albeit by a much slimmer margin of two points (approximately 3,000 votes). After the 2015 Democratic Party (Japan, 1998) leadership election in January 2015, he remained as Secretary-General under the newly elected party leader, Katsuya Okada.

In March 2016, a new political entity, the Democratic Party, was formed through a merger of the DPJ, the Japan Innovation Party, and the Vision of Reform. Edano joined this new party and continued to serve as its Secretary-General. Later that year, in October, he was also appointed the Democratic Party's Constitutional Research Chair. On July 27, 2017, Democratic Party representative Renhō announced her resignation following the party's lackluster performance in the 2017 Tokyo prefectural election, where DP candidates underperformed even the Japanese Communist Party. Edano subsequently ran for the party leadership in the September 2017 election but was defeated by Seiji Maehara in a contest among fellow members of the Ryounkai group. After the leadership election, he was appointed Deputy Representative of the party. He also served as the Chairperson of the House of Representatives Committee on Audit and Oversight of Administration from 2007 to 2009.

5.1. Formation of the Constitutional Democratic Party

On the afternoon of September 28, 2017, amidst preparations for a snap 2017 Japanese general election called by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the Democratic Party (DP) convened a general meeting. There, party leader Seiji Maehara proposed a de facto merger with the newly formed Kibō no Tō (Party of Hope), led by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike. Maehara initially assured DP members that this merger would not compromise their opposition to the controversial Peace and Security Legislation passed in 2015. Yukio Edano, a prominent liberal within the DP, initially believed that this merger could work.

However, a mere two hours later, Koike publicly stated that she would not accept anyone who opposed the security legislation into Kibō no Tō. On September 29, Koike explicitly declared at a press conference that liberal and left-wing members of the Democratic Party would be excluded from her party, making acceptance of the security legislation and constitutional amendment prerequisites for endorsement. This "exclusion" by Koike sparked dismay among many liberal DP members.

In the early hours of September 30, reports circulated that Edano was considering either running as an independent or forming a new party to accommodate the now-homeless liberal faction of the former DP. The same day, an "exclusion list" allegedly compiled by Koike, naming 15 former and current DP politicians, was widely distributed. That night, Edano, along with key allies such as Akira Nagatsuma, Kiyomi Tsujimoto, Shoichi Kondo, and Tetsuro Fukuyama, met in a Tokyo hotel room. They ultimately decided that Edano would announce the formation of a new party the following day. Edano was presented with three potential names: "Democratic Party," "New Democratic Party of Japan," or "Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan." Fukuyama promptly arranged for logo designs for all three options.

The name "Democratic Party" faced strong opposition from online campaign staff, who feared it would evoke negative connotations associated with the former DPJ government. "New Democratic Party" was also deemed undesirable due to a perceived "jinx" of new parties quickly fading away. Ultimately, "Constitutional Democratic Party" was chosen. The name resonated positively with Edano due to its historical connection to pre-war Japanese political parties like the Rikken Seiyūkai and Rikken Minseitō, both of which included "constitutional" in their names, suggesting a return to what he considered a "royal road" of Japanese politics. The next morning, October 2, Edano informed Fukuyama of the decision. He also visited the headquarters of RENGO, Japan's largest labor confederation, to explain the situation and his plans to form a new party to President Rikio Kozu. Later that evening, after officially leaving the Democratic Party, Edano held a press conference to announce the formation of the new party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, declaring its mission to "play the role of putting a stop to the Abe administration's rampage."

On October 3, Nagatsuma officially submitted the new party's notification to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, which was accepted. That same afternoon, Kibō no Tō announced its first slate of 192 candidates for the general election, notably including a candidate to contest Edano's own Saitama 5th district. In a show of cooperation, the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) withdrew its candidate from Saitama's 5th district to support Edano.

5.2. Party Leadership and Major Elections

In the 2017 Japanese general election held that month, the newly formed Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), with cooperation from the Social Democratic Party and the Japanese Communist Party, achieved a surprising second-place finish, securing five more seats than Kibō no Tō. This outcome solidified the CDP's position as the leading opposition party.

Yukio Edano himself won his Saitama 5th district by a significantly widened margin of nearly 20 points over Hideki Makihara, representing a 19% increase in his margin of victory. Makihara was, however, re-elected through proportional representation. Notably, Edano's campaign received a remarkable 27.57 M JPY in personal donations within just 20 days between the announcement of the party's establishment and the election. This amount was considered exceptionally high, surpassing his past fundraising efforts and even those of the then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

On September 14, 2020, the original CDP, formed in 2017, was dissolved. It was then re-founded a day later as a new iteration of the CDP, stemming from a major merger where the majority of the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) and some members of the Social Democratic Party agreed to unify with the CDP to create a stronger, more unified opposition force. However, some splinters remained in both the DPP (e.g., Yuichiro Tamaki) and the SDP (e.g., Mizuho Fukushima). Edano announced his candidacy for the leadership of this new merged party on September 4, 2020, expressing his ambition to position the party as a "choice for government." In the subsequent 2020 Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leadership election held on September 10, he successfully defeated Kenta Izumi by a 40% margin, securing his leadership of the re-founded party.

5.3. Resignation as Leader

Following the 2021 Japanese general election on October 31, 2021, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) saw its total number of seats increase to 96, but this was a net decrease from the 109 seats it held after the 2020 merger. While the party achieved notable victories against prominent figures like former LDP Secretary-General Akira Amari and Nobuteru Ishihara, it also suffered significant losses. Key figures such as Deputy Representative Kiyomi Tsujimoto and Election Strategy Committee Chairperson Hirofumi Hirano lost their single-seat constituencies, and veterans like Ichirō Ozawa and Kishiro Nakamura were defeated in their districts for the first time in decades (though Ozawa was re-elected through the proportional block). Yukio Edano himself won his Saitama 5th district by a narrow margin of approximately 6,000 votes (3%), with his victory remaining uncertain until the following day.

Despite initially denying his intention to resign on the night of the general election, the party's overall disappointing performance and the strong calls for accountability from within the party ultimately led him to a different decision. On November 2, at a party executive conference, Edano announced his intention to resign as party leader, stating, "It is my lack of ability. We must prepare a new system and move forward with next year's House of Councilors elections." He indicated that he would officially step down on November 10, the closing day of the special Diet session, triggering a subsequent leadership election that would involve party members.

5.4. Post-Leadership Activities

On November 5, 2021, shortly after announcing his resignation, Yukio Edano joined the party group "Sanctuary," which is currently led by Shoichi Kondo, and assumed the role of an advisor within the group. His resignation as representative was formally accepted on November 12, and the schedule for the subsequent leadership election was set.

In 2023, after nearly two years without a party executive position, rumors began to circulate about his potential return to the CDP leadership, especially amidst concerns about Kenta Izumi's struggles to recapture the party's momentum. In August 2023, he released a revised version of his "Edano Vision," a manifesto he had previously published during his time as party leader. On July 11, 2024, it was leaked that he would likely run for leadership in the fall. Edano publicly confirmed his candidacy on X (formerly Twitter), though he also denounced the earlier leak. In the 2024 Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan presidential election held on September 23, Edano ultimately lost to former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, securing 180 points to Noda's 232. On October 1, 2024, Edano was appointed Supreme Advisor of the CDP.

On October 15, 2024, the 2024 Japanese general election was officially announced. Edano once again contested his Saitama 5th district, facing challengers including the incumbent Justice Minister Hideki Makihara from the LDP, Chihiro Tsujimura of Reiwa Shinsengumi, and Yuko Yamamoto of the JCP. A Yomiuri Shimbun report on October 17 indicated a tight race, describing it as a "neck-and-neck" contest between Edano and Makihara. The LDP faced significant public backlash due to issues such as political slush funds, ties to the Unification Church, and the controversial revelation of 20.00 M JPY payments to unendorsed candidates. On October 27, election day, Edano was reported as the confirmed winner by the Asahi Shimbun shortly after polls closed, securing his 11th term in the House of Representatives. Makihara, despite being a prominent LDP figure, lost his seat and was not re-elected through proportional representation. On November 13, 2024, Edano was appointed Chairperson of the House of Representatives Constitution Research Committee. In his inaugural address, he pledged to ensure fair and smooth committee operations and to strive for consensus-building, keeping in mind broad agreement formation.

6.1. Core Political Philosophy

Yukio Edano characterizes his political philosophy as being both "liberal and conservative," asserting that these two concepts are not inherently contradictory. He emphasizes his commitment to what he describes as "mainstream conservative" values, particularly the principle of "wa" (和^Japanese, harmony) and mutual support, rather than a laissez-faire approach to individual self-responsibility. He believes in valuing freedom and recognizing diverse values, and in 2019, he notably visited the Ise Grand Shrine with other liberal politicians, signifying a connection to traditional Japanese institutions. He has also expressed a strong desire to establish another liberal government during former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama's lifetime.

Upon founding the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) in 2017, Edano articulated his core doctrine of "constitutional democracy." He posits that "true democracy is established when state power is limited by the constitution." In a speech in Yurakucho, he stressed the contemporary relevance of constitutionalism in Japan, lamenting that "in recent years, we have found ourselves in a situation where we need to remember the word constitutionalism once again. That is Japan today." He highlighted that even under the Meiji Constitution, constitutionalism was a fundamental premise until a certain period, referencing the "Taisho Democracy" and the "Rikken" (constitutional) prefixes of major pre-war parties like the Rikken Seiyūkai and Rikken Minseitō, suggesting a return to what he considered a "royal road" of Japanese politics.

Edano further argues that the fundamental political divide of the 21st century is not between the traditional left and right ideologies, but rather between a "top-down" and a "bottom-up" approach to governance. He strongly advocates for "grassroots democracy," explaining that it is "not democracy from above, where people can make arbitrary decisions because they have the numbers, but democracy at the grassroots. Rather than economic policy from above that makes the strong stronger and eventually trickles down to you, it improves the economy by boosting livelihoods."

Despite his emphasis on a bottom-up approach, Edano's party management during his leadership of the CDP faced criticism, with some younger party members and former Democratic Party for the People (DPP) members describing it as "dictatorial." Conversely, others viewed this as a sign of strong leadership.

On March 27, 2010, the 100th anniversary of the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty, while serving as Minister of State for Government Revitalization, Yukio Edano controversially stated that "The invasion and colonization of China and Korea was historically inevitable... since China and Korea could not modernize themselves." This remark drew criticism, particularly from South Korean media, for its perceived insensitivity.

6.2. Constitutional Debates

Yukio Edano has been a central figure in Japan's constitutional debates, particularly regarding Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution and the balance of power.

6.3. Social Policies

6.4. Economic Policies

6.5. Energy Policy

Edano's stance on nuclear power has evolved. During his tenure as METI Minister, in March 2012, he stated, "If safety can be confirmed, I want to allow the use of nuclear power, at least for the time being." After deciding on the restart of the Ōi Nuclear Power Plant in August 2012, he acknowledged that while Japan would steadily reduce its reliance on nuclear power, safely confirmed plants like Ōi were necessary in the transition. In September 2012, he effectively approved the resumption of construction for the Ōma Nuclear Power Plant and Shimane Nuclear Power Plant Unit 3, stating that METI did not intend to alter the treatment of plants that had already received construction permits, signaling that construction could resume if the new Nuclear Regulation Authority confirmed their safety.

However, after founding the Constitutional Democratic Party, Edano shifted to opposing nuclear power restarts, arguing that "zero nuclear power is realism through renewable energy. If an accident occurs, it is beyond human control. We must abolish it as soon as possible." In February 2021, when asked about future nuclear policy, he stated that achieving "zero nuclear power" was not simple without determining the fate of spent nuclear fuel, acknowledging that "stopping nuclear power is not an easy task." This comment sparked controversy within and outside his party, leading him to clarify in March 2021 that while his party would clearly begin the process of phasing out nuclear power if it took office, the ultimate goal of "zero nuclear power" (including decommissioning) would be a century-long endeavor.

6.6. Foreign and Security Policy

Edano emphasizes the necessity of securing multiple diplomatic options in any situation, criticizing Japan's unconditional support for the U.S. during the Iraq War, which left Japan with no other diplomatic choices. He believes China's political system is not sustainable in the long term. He argues that East Asian countries, including the Korean Peninsula, Taiwan, and ASEAN, should pursue economic integration to counter the U.S. and China, anticipating a future where China democratizes and U.S. military presence in East Asia becomes unnecessary.

Known for his hardline stance on China, in 1995 he brought an anti-nuclear banner to the World Conference on Women in Beijing, which was confiscated by authorities, and he publicly protested in writing at the conference. In October 2010, following the Senkaku Islands boat collision incident, Edano stated in a lecture in Saitama City that "we must deal with China on the premise that the rule of law does not apply there." He called companies entering economic partnerships with China "naive," asserting that "strategic reciprocal relations with China are impossible" due to their differing political systems. He referred to China as an "evil neighbor" but acknowledged the necessity of engaging with neighbors regardless. In February 2011, he clarified that he did not specifically call China an "evil neighbor," but rather made a general statement about dealing with neighbors, hoping that Japan and China could become good neighbors.

Edano is a prominent pro-Taiwan politician, a member of the Japan-Taiwan Friendship Parliamentary League, and frequently visits Taiwan to interact with politicians. He lists former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui as a respected politician, mentioning him during his inaugural press conference as Minister for Administrative Reform in 2010. Upon Lee Teng-hui's death in July 2020, Edano posted a tribute on Twitter, calling him one of the greatest politicians of the 20th century for peacefully transitioning a military dictatorship to Asia's most democratic system.

He has also addressed the Tibet issue, supporting the Tibetan Government-in-Exile. In 2005, he became the representative of the bipartisan Parliamentary League for Considering the Tibet Issue. In 2008, he drafted a statement from the league indicating that Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit to Japan would not be welcomed if the crackdown in Tibet worsened. He later stepped down as the league's representative in 2009 and now serves as an honorary advisor.

Despite identifying as a dove, Edano is a realist who emphasizes the necessity of emergency legislation. He is critical of extreme views from both sides of the political spectrum. Regarding the Futenma base relocation issue in Okinawa, as Chief Cabinet Secretary, he stated that the Japan-U.S. agreement was an "agreement between countries" and that there was no change in the intention to proceed with the relocation to Henoko. However, after the CDP's formation, he effectively shifted to opposition, stating that "a solution that does not involve building a new base in Henoko should be renegotiated with the U.S. government," arguing that forcing construction would cause division and conflict in Okinawa. He explained this shift by stating that the CDP is a new party that has carefully reviewed the issue based on past lessons.

In July 2021, Edano sent a congratulatory message to the Chinese Communist Party for its 100th anniversary. In October 2021, on an NHK program, regarding an increase in defense spending, he questioned whether outdated fighter jets were being purchased and called for a thorough review. Military writers criticized his comment, pointing out that the F-35 fighter jet, which Japan procures, is a state-of-the-art stealth fighter adopted by countries like Switzerland.

6.7. Domestic Governance and Law

Edano has consistently worked to prevent the overreach of police power, advocating for independent oversight mechanisms. In 1995, during the Aum Shinrikyo investigation, he criticized the police for repeated arrests on minor charges (a tactic known as *bekken taiho*, or unrelated arrests), warning that such practices could lead Japan towards a pre-war "police state." In 1999, during the enactment of the Wiretapping Act, he argued that safeguards against abuse were insufficient, emphasizing the need for third-party observers and notification to the monitored individual. However, the bill was passed via strong-arm tactics by the ruling coalition before he could extensively question it.

He is critical of the Conspiracy offense law and was a proponent of an emergency in-house assembly of bipartisan Diet members and citizens against it. On amendments to the Child Prostitution and Child Pornography Punishment Law, he is cautious about criminalizing simple possession of child pornography, citing ambiguous definitions and concerns about abuse of investigative powers. He believes penalties should be limited to those who actively collect or purchase such materials.