| Description | Your Party, also known as Party for Everybody, is a libertarian reformist party led by Yoshimi Watanabe. Watanabe left the LDP in early 2009 after his reform proposals were rebuffed by new party leader Taro Aso, and in the process earned sizable national support. Rather than join the opposition DPJ, he sat as an Independent while keeping open the option of starting a new party, and about a month before election day Your Party was born.
Due to its founding so close to the 2009 lower house elections Your Party only fielded 13 candidates across Japan, but 5 of those were elected. The 2010 upper house elections saw the party contest a broader array of seats and 10 candidates were elected. One Independent senator elected the 2007 cycle had also joined, giving Your Party 11 upper house members.
Your Party opposes the LDP for its ties to government bureaucrats, the main reason Watanabe left the party in the first place, but similarly criticizes the DPJ for its ties with labour unions. It has become popular with young Japanese professionals in urban areas due to its advocacy for business interests. |
