2016 Democratic Party (Japan, 2016) leadership election

Political party election in Japan 2016 Democratic Party leadership election Japan legislative no 2015 Democratic Party of Japan leadership election 2015 September 2017 Democratic Party (Japan, 2016) leadership election Sep 2017 15 September 2016 Diet members Party members Local assembly Candidates Total points Renho Minshu 2013-07-14 (cropped) 2.jpeg 120 120 150 0 0 Renhō Tokyo at-large 3877A9 160 167 126 50 503(59.2%) Seiji Maehara (Naoto Kan Cabinet).jpg 120 120 150 0 0 Seiji Maehara Kyoto 2nd 56C75B 84 52 50 44 230(27.1%) Yuichiro Tamaki IMG 5649-1 20160903 (cropped).jpg 120 120 150 0 0 Yuichiro Tamaki Kagawa 2nd CF4E91 50 12 30 24 116(13.7%) 300px Map of the results of the party member vote. President Katsuya Okada Renhō The 2016 Democratic Party leadership election was held on 15 September 2016 in accordance with the end of the presidential term which had commenced in March. It was the first full presidential election since the formation of the party from the merger of the Democratic Party of Japan and the Japan Innovation Party earlier in the year. Incumbent president Katsuya Okada chose not to run for re-election. Party vice president Renhō won in a landslide with 59% of the available points, defeating former president Seiji Maehara and newcomer Yuichiro Tamaki. She became the first female leader of the party and the second female opposition leader in Japan after Takako Doi,https://news.tv-asahi.co.jp/news_politics/articles/000083542.html Renho becomes Democratic Party leader, first woman to lead main opposition party in 30 years 15 September 2016 ja TV Asahi as well as the first mixed-race leader of a Japanese political party.https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/09/15/national/politics-diplomacy/renho-elected-leader-of-main-opposition-democratic-party/#.V9uADtTP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20160916051545/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/09/15/national/politics-diplomacy/renho-elected-leader-of-main-opposition-democratic-party/#.V9uADtTP1qY 16 September 2016 14 September 2016 Renho elected leader of main opposition Democratic Party Osaki Tomohiro The Japan Times Background Katsuya Okada was elected president of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in January 2015 following the party's failure in the 2014 Japanese general election. Following the election, there was widespread discussion about a possible merger between the DPJ and Japan Innovation Party (JIP) in order to compete more effectively against the Liberal Democratic–Komeito government of Shinzo Abe. However, the JIP was controlled by an Osaka-based faction led by the city's conservative mayor Tōru Hashimoto, who favoured cooperation with the government. In May, following the failure of Hashimoto's key political project, the Osaka Metropolis plan, the party leadership resigned and the pro-opposition faction gained the upper hand with Yorihisa Matsuno as new leader.https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/05/19/national/politics-diplomacy/ishin-set-pick-new-chief-replace-eda/#.VVu68NTP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20150519223619/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/05/19/national/politics-diplomacy/ishin-set-pick-new-chief-replace-eda/#.VVu68NTP1qY 19 May 2015 19 May 2015 Ishin no To elects new leader, may align with opposition Aoki Mizuho Yoshida Reiji The Japan Times In late August, Hashimoto and many of his Osaka-based allies resigned from the JIP to form a new Osaka-based party.https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/08/27/national/politics-diplomacy/hashimoto-matsui-leaving-ishin-no-split-party-worsens/#.Vh8obNTP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20151015041518/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/08/27/national/politics-diplomacy/hashimoto-matsui-leaving-ishin-no-split-party-worsens/#.Vh8obNTP1qY 15 October 2015 27 August 2015 Hashimoto, Matsui leaving Ishin no To as split in party worsens Aoki Mizuho Yoshida Reiji The Japan Timeshttps://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/08/30/national/politics-diplomacy/toru-hashimoto-form-new-national-party-end-october-12-osaka-based-ishin-no-diet-members-expected-join/#.Vg0PNdTP1qZ https://web.archive.org/web/20151001104707/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/08/30/national/politics-diplomacy/toru-hashimoto-form-new-national-party-end-october-12-osaka-based-ishin-no-diet-members-expected-join/#.Vg0PNdTP1qZ 1 October 2015 30 August 2015 12 Osaka-based Ishin no To Diet members expected to join Toru Hashimoto’s new national party Yoshida Reiji The Japan Times Following this, Matsuno actively pursued a DPJ–JIP merger, supported by most of the DPJ, particularly its right-wing.https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/11/12/national/politics-diplomacy/dpj-rocks-amid-calls-merger-ishin-no/#.VknwCdTP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20151116150219/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/11/12/national/politics-diplomacy/dpj-rocks-amid-calls-merger-ishin-no/#.VknwCdTP1qY 16 November 2015 12 November 2015 DPJ on the rocks amid calls for merger with Ishin no To Aoki Mizuho The Japan Times A merger was approved in February 2016 and took place on 27 March, forming the Minshintō (Democratic Progressive Party), officially the Democratic Party in English.https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/03/27/national/politics-diplomacy/democratic-party-launches-vow-halt-ruling-coalition/#.VvgM6dTP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20160327164000/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/03/27/national/politics-diplomacy/democratic-party-launches-vow-halt-ruling-coalition/#.VvgM6dTP1qY 27 March 2016 27 March 2016 Democratic Party launches with vow to halt ruling coalition Osaki Tomohiro The Japan Times Okada was elected as party president during the merger, with his term set to expire in September. He led the Democratic Party into the July upper house elections. The party won 32 seats, a net loss of 19 from their pre-election numbers. Okada also failed in his stated goal of denying pro-constitutional reform parties a two-thirds majority in the chamber, despite forging an electoral alliance with the Communist, Social Democratic, and People's Life parties. He stated he would serve out the remaining two months of his term, but that he had not decided whether to seek re-election.https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/07/11/national/politics-diplomacy/ruling-bloc-wins-big-in-upper-house/#.V4XKk9TP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20160713045830/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/07/11/national/politics-diplomacy/ruling-bloc-wins-big-in-upper-house/#.V4XKk9TP1qY 13 July 2016 11 July 2016 LDP-led ruling bloc, allies clear two-thirds majority hurdle in Upper House poll Osaki Tomohiro The Japan Times On 30 July, he announced that he would not run for another term.https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLASFK30H0K_Q6A730C1000000/ Okada Announces He Won't Run in the September Leadership Election - Democratic Party 30 July 2016 ja The Nikkei The contest was originally scheduled for 7 September, but the party executive announced on 28 July that it would be pushed back by a week for administrative reasons.http://this.kiji.is/131316192168050696 https://web.archive.org/web/20160917232914/http://this.kiji.is/131316192168050696 17 September 2016 28 July 2016 ja Democratic Party to Hold Leadership Election on September 15th Jiji Press Electoral system Candidates were required to gather endorsements from twenty (maximum 25) of the party's members of the National Diet in order to stand. The election was conducted via a points system:https://www.minshin.or.jp/leadership-election2016/about About Voting 31 October 2025 ja Democratic Party Each of the party's members of the National Diet had a vote worth two points. (294 points total) Registered party members or supporters could vote via mail. Points for this tier were distributed between the 47 prefectures, and awarded to candidates in proportion to votes won in each prefecture. (231 points total) Each of the party's members of local councils or prefectural assemblies could vote via mail. Points for this tier were awarded to candidates in proportion to votes won. (206 points total) Each of the party's approved candidates for future Diet elections had a vote worth one point. (118 points total) In order to win, a candidate must secure more than 50% of points. If no candidate won more than 50%, a runoff was to be held the same day. In the runoff, only Diet members and approved candidates could vote. Nominations were taken on 2 September and the election held on the 15th. Candidates Renhō was the first candidate to announce her bid on 5 August. At the time of the contest, she was vice president of the DP and one of its most high-profile female politicians, known for her wit and public speaking talent. In the House of Councillors election prior to the contest, she was re-elected in Tokyo with 1.12 million votes, the most of any candidate in the country.https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/05/national/politics-diplomacy/renho-steps-forward-bid-lead-dp-ahead-sept-15-vote/#.V6RmR9TP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20160805101108/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/05/national/politics-diplomacy/renho-steps-forward-bid-lead-dp-ahead-sept-15-vote/#.V6RmR9TP1qY 5 August 2016 5 August 2016 Renho steps forward in bid to lead DP ahead of Sept. 15 vote Yoshida Reiji The Japan Times She was considered the frontrunner and believed to be favoured by the outgoing leadership; there was speculation that she might be unopposed.https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/08/11/editorials/democratic-party-leadership-race/#.V69TXtTP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20160813170522/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/08/11/editorials/democratic-party-leadership-race/#.V69TXtTP1qY 13 August 2016 11 August 2016 Democratic Party leadership race The Japan Times She offered generational change and a fresh image, pledging to demonstrate to voters that the party had robust policies and could do more than just criticise the government. She advocated cutting investment in public works, reforming the tax system, and investing in childcare and a national scholarship program. Emphasising her personality, she contrasted herself with outgoing president Okada, who she playfully described as "a very boring man".https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/23/national/politics-diplomacy/renho-says-can-revitalize-democratic-party/#.V7xjrtTP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20160823145426/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/23/national/politics-diplomacy/renho-says-can-revitalize-democratic-party/#.V7xjrtTP1qY 23 August 2016 23 August 2016 Renho says she can revitalize Democratic Party Osaki Tomohiro The Japan Times Her candidacy was observed to be part of an increasing trend of female leadership in Japanese politics, alongside Yuriko Koike's election as Governor of Tokyo; Renhō stated she wanted to inspire women to break the glass ceiling.https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/09/02/national/politics-diplomacy/renho-maehara-tamaki-launch-campaigns-dp-presidency/#.V8liHtTP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20160902112719/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/09/02/national/politics-diplomacy/renho-maehara-tamaki-launch-campaigns-dp-presidency/#.V8liHtTP1qY 2 September 2016 2 September 2016 Renho, Maehara, Tamaki launch campaigns for DP presidency Osaki Tomohiro The Japan Times Seiji Maehara announced his candidacy on 26 August. He was a party veteran and previously served as president from 2005–06 and foreign minister during 2010–11. A leader of the party's right wing, he called for an end to the electoral pact with the Communist Party. He advocated free access to preschool and tertiary education, funded by increased taxes.https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/26/national/politics-diplomacy/hawkish-ex-foreign-minister-maehara-enters-dp-leadership-race-dig-rival-renho/#.V8ApF9TP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20160826113333/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/26/national/politics-diplomacy/hawkish-ex-foreign-minister-maehara-enters-dp-leadership-race-dig-rival-renho/#.V8ApF9TP1qY 26 August 2016 26 August 2016 Hawkish ex-foreign minister Maehara enters DP leadership race with dig at rival Renho Osaki Tomohiro The Japan Times Known as a longtime advocate of constitutional revision, Maehara softened his stance during the campaign, criticising Shinzo Abe's approach to the issue as divisive.https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/25/national/politics-diplomacy/u-s-friendly-maehara-able-find-common-ground-ldp/#.V77SFtTP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20160825110938/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/08/25/national/politics-diplomacy/u-s-friendly-maehara-able-find-common-ground-ldp/#.V77SFtTP1qY 25 August 2016 25 August 2016 U.S.-friendly Maehara able to find common ground with LDP Johnston Eric The Japan Times In response to arguments that the party needed a new face, he stated that "freshness alone isn’t enough" and emphasised his experience with the failures of the DPJ's period in government from 2009 to 2012: "We need to take a moment to grovel and apologize to voters. That's a start." Yuichiro Tamaki was a late entrant and began gathering sponsors from late August. On the eve of nominations, he said he was still "one or two short" of the 20 nominations required to stand,http://this.kiji.is/139307520155140105 https://web.archive.org/web/20160919111437/http://this.kiji.is/139307520155140105 19 September 2016 19 August 2016 Renho and Maehara clash; Tamaki also aims to run - Democratic Party leadership candidates announced on the 2nd ja Jiji Press but was able to reach the threshold the following day. He was a third-term Diet member and his candidacy was supported by fellow junior legislators. He stated that "unless a person like me displays an all-out effort to revolutionize the party, the public will never understand how serious the DP is about changing itself." Former lawmakers of the JIP, the largest single group within the Democratic Party, sought a united position in the contest. Former JIP president Kenji Eda considered running, but stated on 30 August that he would not due to lack of consensus within the group. Legislators were divided between Renhō, Maehara, and Tamaki.http://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2016083000707&g=pol https://web.archive.org/web/20160831145840/http://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2016083000707&g=pol 31 August 2016 30 August 2016 ja Former Ishin members not unifying; Eda will not run - Democratic Party leadership election Jiji Presshttps://www.sankei.com/article/20160831-AOJI4LYA5FMPLAJLKIPSQBRL6M/ The former Ishin group will vote freely; Acting Leader Renho, former Foreign Minister Maehara Seiji, and Deputy Chairman of the National Diet Affairs Committee Yuichiro Tamaki received support 31 August 2016 ja Sankei Shimbun The following day, a group of eighteen ex-JIP members jointly endorsed both Renhō and Maehara.http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20160831/k10010662731000.html https://web.archive.org/web/20160901152248/http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20160831/k10010662731000.html 1 September 2016 31 August 2016 ja Democratic Party - Former Ishin group Endorses Both Maehara and Renho NHK Goshi Hosono, who was narrowly defeated by Okada in the 2015 presidential contest, was considered a possible candidate. After discussions with Renhō, he announced on 9 August that he would not run and endorsed her.https://www.sankei.com/article/20160809-GDI7M67NAVMXRDDBQYAAIPGQJ4/ Former Environment Minister Goshi Hosono Announces He Won't Run for Candidacy; Decides to Support Renho After Confirming Her Opposition to the Communist Party 9 August 2016 ja Sankei Shimbunhttps://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20160809/p2a/00m/0na/003000c Hosono expected not to run against Renho in Democratic Party leadership race 9 August 2016 Mainichi Shimbun Akira Nagatsuma aimed to run again, but ruled himself out on the 19th after failing to secure backing from the Akamatsu faction. Akihisa Nagashima announced his withdrawal from the contest on 30 August due to lack of support.http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20160830/k10010660511000.html https://web.archive.org/web/20160830130026/http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20160830/k10010660511000.html 30 August 2016 30 August 2016 ja Democratic Party of Japan's Nagashima Announces Withdrawal from Candidacy for Leadership Election NHK Kazuhiro Haraguchi, who founded his own study group after the House of Councillors elections, aimed to run. He and Tamaki attempted to negotiate to unify their candidacies, but were unsuccessful; Haraguchi failed to gather the necessary sponsors.http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20160901/k10010664581000.html https://web.archive.org/web/20160902135626/http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/html/20160901/k10010664581000.html 2 September 2016 1 September 2016 ja Democratic Party Leadership Election: Tamaki and Haraguchi Continue to Explore as Negotiations Fail NHK Candidate Offices held 100x100px Renhō Murata(age 48)Tokyo Member of the House of Councillors (2004–)Minister of State for Government Revitalization (2010–12) 100x100px Seiji Maehara(age 54)Kyoto Prefecture Member of the House of Representatives (1993–)President of the Democratic Party of Japan (2005–06)Minister for Foreign Affairs (2010–11) 100x100px Yuichiro Tamaki(age 47)Kagawa Prefecture Member of the House of Representatives (2009–) Sponsors Renhō (25) Seiji Maehara (24) Yuichiro Tamaki (20) House of Representatives Hirotaka Akamatsu Goshi Hosono Yosei Ide Mito Kakizawa Toru Kikawada Yōsuke Kondō Shoichi Kondo Kazuko Kōri Takayuki Ochiai Rintaro Ogata Hiroshi Ogushi Takahiro Sasaki Go Shinohara Yoshiaki Takaki Koichi Takemasa Keisuke TsumuraHouse of Councillors Kumiko Aihara Sachiko Hirayama Ryūhei Kawada Takanori Kawai Masao Kobayashi Masayoshi Nataniya Kazuya Shimba Hideya Sugio Masayo Tanabu House of Representatives Motohisa Furukawa Takashi Ishizeki Kenta Izumi Yosuke Kamiyama Keiro Kitagami Yasuko Komiyama Yoshio Maki Kenko Matsuki Akihisa Nagashima Katsuhito Nakajima Junya Ogawa Akihiro Ohata Mitsunori Okamoto Atsushi Oshima Kazumi Ota Yunosuke Sakamoto Takashi Shinohara Katsumasa Suzuki Kaname Tajima Shu WatanabeHouse of Councillors Tetsuro Fukuyama Teruhiko Mashiko Motohiro Ōno Mitsuru Sakurai House of Representatives Tomoko Abe Satoshi Arai Nobuyuki Fukushima Akihiro Hatsushika Masato Imai Naoto Kan Shūhei Kishimoto Takane Kiuchi Naohisa Matsuda Masashi Mito Takeshi Miyazaki Kensuke Onishi Takashi Takai Manabu Terata Hiroyuki YokoyamaHouse of Councillors Kenzo Fujisue Shinkun Haku Michihiro Ishibashi Shinji Morimoto Minoru Yanagida Failed to qualify Kazuhiro Haraguchi, member of the House of Representatives (1996–) and Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications (2009–10) Withdrew Akira Nagatsuma, member of the House of Representatives (2000–) and Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare (2009–10) Akihisa Nagashima, member of the House of Representatives (2003–) – (endorsed Maehara) Yosei Ide, member of the House of Representatives (2012–)https://www.minshin.or.jp/article/109822 Election to Select a Leader to Set a New Course for the Democratic Party" - Election Commission Chairperson Kamimoto Holds Pre-election Briefing 26 August 2016 ja Democratic Party – (endorsed Renhō) Declined Katsuya Okada, former Minister for Foreign Affairs (2008–09) and incumbent President of the Democratic Party (2015–) – (endorsed Renhō) Goshi Hosono, Minister of the Environment (2011–12) and runner-up in the 2015 presidential election – (endorsed Renhō) Kenji Eda, member of the House of Representatives (2002–03, 2005–) and president of the Japan Innovation Party (2014–15) Contest Renhō was the frontrunnerhttps://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/09/15/editorials/dps-challenges-new-leader/#.V9xa7NTP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20160916204934/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2016/09/15/editorials/dps-challenges-new-leader/#.V9xa7NTP1qY 16 September 2016 15 September 2016 DP’s challenges under new leader The Japan Times and received widespread factional support. This included "mainstream" representatives in the outgoing executive, including outgoing president Okada.http://this.kiji.is/145006741103707642 https://archive.today/20161021135930/http://this.kiji.is/145006741103707642 21 October 2016 4 September 2016 ja Three Democratic Party candidates cautious about cooperating in by-elections Jiji Press The Noda faction, Goshi Hosono's faction,http://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2016083100779&g=pol https://web.archive.org/web/20160901140607/http://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2016083100779&g=pol 1 September 2016 31 August 2016 ja Hosono Supports Renho; Democratic Party Leadership Candidates to Be Announced on September 2nd Jiji Press the former JSP faction around Hirotaka Akamatsu, and Yoshiaki Takaki's faction of former DSP members all backed her,https://www.sankei.com/article/20160823-ZJ47F7CU55I7XBK7LSBKHAQK2Q/ The liberal Akamatsu Group announces its support for Renho, leaving former Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara in a difficult position ja 23 August 2016 Sankei Shimbunhttp://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2016082400489&g=pol https://web.archive.org/web/20160825175058/http://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2016082400489&g=pol 25 August 2016 24 August 2016 ja Maehara in Final Preparations for Candidacy; Announcement May Be Made on the 25th - Democratic Party Leadership Election Jiji Press as did several former JIP members. Maehara faced difficulty reaching 20 nominations due to overlapping membership inside his own faction, strong desire for new leadership within the party, and lack of unified support from the party right. He only chose to run after receiving encouragement from Michihiko Kano and securing support from Kano's former faction, now led by Akihiro Ohata. Maehara also attempted unsuccessfully to win over Akamatsu. These approaches to left-leaning factions were viewed as a pivot to the centre to counter widespread support for Renhō throughout the party.http://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2016082600845&g=pol https://web.archive.org/web/20160913055004/http://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2016082600845&g=pol 13 September 2016 26 August 2016 ja Moderate backing for Maehara's candidacy; flexible stance to expand support - DP leadership election Jiji Press After Akihisa Nagashima dropped out of the contest, his faction supported Maehara.http://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2016090100655&g=pol https://web.archive.org/web/20160902143735/http://www.jiji.com/jc/article?k=2016090100655&g=pol 2 September 2016 1 September 2016 ja Renho and Maehara clash; Tamaki also aims to run - Democratic Party leadership candidates announced on the 2nd Jiji Press He also reached out to former JIP members who were opposed to an uncontested race.https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGKKASFS18H3A_Y6A810C1PP8000/ Democratic Party Leadership Election: Renho Leads, No Opponent in Sight 19 August 2016 ja The Nikkei Tamaki was supported by former JIP members such as Masato Imai, as well as the Kan faction and parts of the Ohata faction. A Sankei Shimbun-FNN poll of possible candidates on 8 August, when only Renhō had announced her bid, found she was well ahead of all others with 32% support. Maehara garnered 7.5% support, Goshi Hosono 6.9%, Yukio Edano 6.8%, outgoing president Okada 4.3%, Akira Nagatsuma 3.3%, and Tamaki 1.4%.https://www.sankei.com/article/20160808-TEETDPWPXNJTBIPEBCZXRY7SWM/ Democratic Party Leadership Election: Renho Leads the Way with 32% Support 8 August 2016 ja Sankei Shimbun A 3–4 September Mainichi Shimbun poll showed Renhō at 32%, Maehara on 19%, and Tamaki on 4% among the general public. Among DP supporters, she had an overwhelming lead of 61% to Maehara's 20% and Tamaki's 7%.https://mainichi.jp/articles/20160905/k00/00m/010/074000c Renho tops the list with 32%...suitable for the new leader 4 September 2016 ja Mainichi Shimbun A Sankei survey on 8 September indicated that Renhō was well ahead of the other candidates and likely to win without the need for a runoff. They reported that her support totaled 65 out the party's 147 Diet members and a majority of its local assembly members. They attributed 40 supporters to Maehara, 20 to Tamaki, and 20 still undecided.https://www.sankei.com/article/20160909-7SWS4SNZ5VJ4BJTFJZYUPG7U3Y/ Renho is on track to secure a majority. Half-time situation: Likely elected in the first round of voting. 9 September 2016 ja Sankei Shimbun The issue of Renhō's nationality and citizenship emerged during the campaign. She was born to a Taiwanese father and Japanese mother, and was a Taiwanese citizen at birth, in accordance with Japanese citizenship law at the time which preferred children adopt the father's nationality. After a change in the law in 1985, she acquired Japanese citizenship at age 17. She previously claimed that she had renounced Taiwanese citizenship at the same time, but admitted on 13 September that she had not. Japanese law prohibits dual citizenship above the age of 22, though nobody has ever been deprived of citizenship for this reason. Renhō stated that her father had filed the paperwork for her and that she was unaware he had done so incorrectly. She pledged to renew her efforts to renounce her Taiwanese citizenship.https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/09/07/national/renho-nationality-accusations-spur-debate-dual-citizenship/#.V9AhmNTP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20160907141748/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/09/07/national/renho-nationality-accusations-spur-debate-dual-citizenship/#.V9AhmNTP1qY 7 September 2016 7 September 2016 Renho nationality accusations spur debate on dual citizenship Murai Shusuke The Japan Timeshttps://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/09/13/national/politics-diplomacy/renho-acknowledges-yet-renounce-taiwanese-citizenship/#.V9eRRtTP1qY https://web.archive.org/web/20160913053950/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/09/13/national/politics-diplomacy/renho-acknowledges-yet-renounce-taiwanese-citizenship/#.V9eRRtTP1qY 13 September 2016 13 September 2016 Renho acknowledges that she has yet to renounce her Taiwanese citizenship Osaki Tomohiro The Japan Times Results Renhō won 503 points of 849 available, therefore winning outright without the need for a runoff. She was supported by 80 of the party's 147 Diet members (54%) and a clear majority of grassroots members (62%) and local assembly members (61%). Her support was less pronounced among the 118 approved Diet candidates, where she won 50 votes to Maehara's 44. Among the party membership, Renhō swept almost every prefecture, performing best in the Tōhoku and Chūgoku regions. Maehara and Tamaki both swept their home prefectures, Kyoto and Kagawa respectively. Tamaki also won Wakayama Prefecture, while Maehara narrowly beat Renhō in Gifu, Kumamoto, and Tottori. Overall, Renhō won 167 points, Maehara 52, and Tamaki 12. Candidate Diet members Party members& supporters Local assemblymembers Diet candidates Total Votes % Points Votes % Points Votes % Points Votes % Points Renhō 80 54.4 160 59,539 62.4 167 847 61.0 126 50 42.4 50 503 59.25 3877A9 Seiji Maehara 42 28.6 84 26,045 27.3 52 335 24.1 50 44 37.3 44 230 27.09 56C75B Yuichiro Tamaki 25 17.0 50 9,808 10.3 12 207 14.9 30 24 20.3 24 116 13.66 CF4E91 Total 147 100.0 294 95,392 100.0 231 1,389 100.0 206 118 100.0 118 849 Invalid 0 789 4 0 Turnout 147 100.0 96,181 40.9 1,393 87.8 118 100.0 Eligible 147 235,211 1,586 118 Source: Democratic Party References External links https://www.minshin.or.jp/leadership-election2016 Democratic Party Leadership Election 2016 31 October 2025 ja Democratic Party Category:2016 elections in Japan Category:Political party leadership elections in Japan Category:September 2016 in Japan Democratic Party (Japan, 2016) leadership election