Reiwa Shinseng appoints George Yamamoto as party leader, eyes name change

On July 31, 2026, the Japanese political party Reiwa Shinseng elected George Yamamoto, a former secretary to ex‑prime minister Naoto Kan and longtime lower‑house member, as its new leader after the resignation of founder Taro Yamamoto. Yamamoto secured a majority of votes in a YouTube‑broadcast ballot that also featured candidates Naoto Sakaguchi and city councilor Reiko Ishii.

Yamamoto said he will work with local branches to develop bottom‑up policies and aims to rename the party, a move previously promised by Yamamoto Taro. The leadership change comes amid speculation that a new party led by former 2‑channel administrator Hiroyuki and legislator Izumi Bōho could attract defections from Reiwa Shinseng, adding pressure on the party’s rebranding and future electoral strategy.