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Ex-minister forms new party ahead of Japan's election

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-08-08 19:46

TOKYO: Former cabinet minister Yoshimi Watanabe on Saturday launched a new political party to run candidates in the lower house election scheduled for August 30.

The new party, named "Your Party" (or Minna no To in Japanese), was set up by Watanabe and three other ex-lower house members and a current upper house lawmaker, and will put up 13 candidates in the upcoming election.

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Watanabe, 57, served as administrative reform minister under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He left the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in January after becoming discontented with Prime Minister Taro Aso's policies.

The former minister criticized the LDP for its reliance on central government bureaucrats and accused the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) for being dependent on labor unions.