Taro Aso Leads New Group Supporting Sanae Takaichi; "Kokuryoku Kenkyukai" Born
Within Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, a new parliamentary group named "Kokuryoku Kenkyukai" (National Strength Research Group), led by Vice President Taro Aso, has been established to support Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. This group aims to bolster Takaichi's policy initiatives and strengthen party unity.
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- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 19:44
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## Press Release Information
Title: Taro Aso Leads New Group Supporting Sanae Takaichi; "Kokuryoku Kenkyukai" Born
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Dai Ya-chen, Tokyo 7th special report) Within Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, a parliamentary group will be formed, centered around Vice President Taro Aso, to support LDP President and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Multiple party insiders revealed that the group's name has been decided as "Kokuryoku Kenkyukai" (National Strength Research Group), which is also an acronym for "JAPAN IS BACK," a slogan Takaichi proposed during the LDP presidential election.
According to Sankei Shimbun, in addition to Aso, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who competed with Takaichi in last autumn's LDP presidential election, and Policy Research Council Chairman Takayuki Kobayashi are also listed as founders. The group's purpose is to strengthen support for Takaichi's promotion of major issues such as constitutional revision and amendment of the Imperial Household Law. Invitations to participate were sent to LDP Diet members today.
The group's name, "Kokuryoku Kenkyukai" (JiB), is derived from Takaichi's reading group "'Japan's Power' Research Group," established in November 2023, and her book "National Strength Research: Making the Japanese Archipelago Stronger and Richer," published in August 2024. "JiB" is also an acronym for "JAPAN IS BACK," a slogan Takaichi proposed during the party's presidential election.
The group is scheduled to hold its first meeting on the 21st, inviting U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass as a lecturer. However, Takaichi herself will not attend.
In its statement of purpose, the group emphasized, "The government and ruling party must unite and fully commit to realizing the policies promised to the public," and stated that the purpose of establishing this parliamentary group is "to strongly support the promotion of relevant policies and visions through policy research by willing Diet members, in cooperation with the government."
The report states that the background to the group's formation is the recent successive establishment of new groups within the LDP and the re-activation of old factions. While Takaichi herself has a support group, she has not yet been able to widely attract forces from various factions, and her party base is not yet considered solid.
Furthermore, both the Prime Minister's Office and the party headquarters are currently busy dealing with immediate issues, and there is a practical lack of opportunities to comprehensively discuss major issues such as constitutional revision, amendment of the Imperial Household Law, and strategies towards the U.S. and China. One founder stated, "If the perception gap between the Prime Minister's Office and the party widens, an 'anti-Takaichi' force might emerge within the party. Therefore, a platform is needed to help the party understand the policy direction of the Prime Minister's Office and unite to promote policies."
According to party insiders, because Aso is serving as a core founder, Motegi, Koizumi, and Kobayashi, among others, also agreed to join. On the other hand, General Affairs Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, who has clearly expressed his intention to run in next year's party presidential election, was not invited to participate.
Meanwhile, Takaichi is wary of the new group established by Upper House Secretary-General Junichi Ishii. However, Upper House Member President Masaji Matsuyama is also among the founders of the "Kokuryoku Kenkyukai," which seems to imply a move to check Ishii's influence.
Ishii Junichi's Upper House internal group, announced in April, is named "LDP Upper House Club," and currently has over 40 participants.
Ishii stated that the purpose of its establishment is to strengthen unity within the Upper House and further maintain stable party operations, especially given that the ruling coalition is in the minority in the Upper House. It is understood that participants include members from Ishii's former Motegi faction, as well as former Abe and Nikai faction members. However, Ishii emphasized that the group will not intervene in personnel matters or the party presidential election, drawing a clear line with past factional politics.
Ishii pointed out that with only the Aso faction, led by Taro Aso, remaining among the currently existing factions, he hopes to provide a platform where Diet members can "exchange opinions and consult with each other." (Edited by Tian Rui-hua) 1150507
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Title: Taro Aso Leads New Group Supporting Sanae Takaichi; "Kokuryoku Kenkyukai" Born
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Dai Ya-chen, Tokyo 7th special report) Within Japan's Liberal Democratic Party, a parliamentary group will be formed, centered around Vice President Taro Aso, to support LDP President and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Multiple party insiders revealed that the group's name has been decided as "Kokuryoku Kenkyukai" (National Strength Research Group), which is also an acronym for "JAPAN IS BACK," a slogan Takaichi proposed during the LDP presidential election.
According to Sankei Shimbun, in addition to Aso, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who competed with Takaichi in last autumn's LDP presidential election, and Policy Research Council Chairman Takayuki Kobayashi are also listed as founders. The group's purpose is to strengthen support for Takaichi's promotion of major issues such as constitutional revision and amendment of the Imperial Household Law. Invitations to participate were sent to LDP Diet members today.
The group's name, "Kokuryoku Kenkyukai" (JiB), is derived from Takaichi's reading group "'Japan's Power' Research Group," established in November 2023, and her book "National Strength Research: Making the Japanese Archipelago Stronger and Richer," published in August 2024. "JiB" is also an acronym for "JAPAN IS BACK," a slogan Takaichi proposed during the party's presidential election.
The group is scheduled to hold its first meeting on the 21st, inviting U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass as a lecturer. However, Takaichi herself will not attend.
In its statement of purpose, the group emphasized, "The government and ruling party must unite and fully commit to realizing the policies promised to the public," and stated that the purpose of establishing this parliamentary group is "to strongly support the promotion of relevant policies and visions through policy research by willing Diet members, in cooperation with the government."
The report states that the background to the group's formation is the recent successive establishment of new groups within the LDP and the re-activation of old factions. While Takaichi herself has a support group, she has not yet been able to widely attract forces from various factions, and her party base is not yet considered solid.
Furthermore, both the Prime Minister's Office and the party headquarters are currently busy dealing with immediate issues, and there is a practical lack of opportunities to comprehensively discuss major issues such as constitutional revision, amendment of the Imperial Household Law, and strategies towards the U.S. and China. One founder stated, "If the perception gap between the Prime Minister's Office and the party widens, an 'anti-Takaichi' force might emerge within the party. Therefore, a platform is needed to help the party understand the policy direction of the Prime Minister's Office and unite to promote policies."
According to party insiders, because Aso is serving as a core founder, Motegi, Koizumi, and Kobayashi, among others, also agreed to join. On the other hand, General Affairs Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, who has clearly expressed his intention to run in next year's party presidential election, was not invited to participate.
Meanwhile, Takaichi is wary of the new group established by Upper House Secretary-General Junichi Ishii. However, Upper House Member President Masaji Matsuyama is also among the founders of the "Kokuryoku Kenkyukai," which seems to imply a move to check Ishii's influence.
Ishii Junichi's Upper House internal group, announced in April, is named "LDP Upper House Club," and currently has over 40 participants.
Ishii stated that the purpose of its establishment is to strengthen unity within the Upper House and further maintain stable party operations, especially given that the ruling coalition is in the minority in the Upper House. It is understood that participants include members from Ishii's former Motegi faction, as well as former Abe and Nikai faction members. However, Ishii emphasized that the group will not intervene in personnel matters or the party presidential election, drawing a clear line with past factional politics.
Ishii pointed out that with only the Aso faction, led by Taro Aso, remaining among the currently existing factions, he hopes to provide a platform where Diet members can "exchange opinions and consult with each other." (Edited by Tian Rui-hua) 1150507
Choose to stand with facts; every sponsorship you provide is a force protecting press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to get the latest news in real-time.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.
Keywords: