Japanese opposition parties coordinate response to Kumamoto earthquake

The National Democratic Party held a street rally in Tokyo’s Shimbashi area, where leader Yuichiro Tamaki and senior party officials highlighted disaster‑relief efforts for Kumamoto earthquake victims, advocated a permanent reduction in the consumption tax on food, and raised 568,989 yen for the affected communities.

On the same day, representatives of the Constitutional Democratic Party, the Center Reform Union and Komeito met in the Diet to discuss a joint response to the Kumamoto earthquake and to address internal organisational challenges. The three parties agreed to hold regional meetings across eleven blocks, gather input from local officials and party members, and coordinate policy positions on security, energy and other issues, emphasizing cooperation to protect citizens’ lives and livelihoods.