Japan's main opposition party co-leaders to resign over election loss

Yoshihiko Noda (L) and Tetsuo Saito, co-leaders of Japan's main opposition party Centrist Reform Alliance, attend a press conference in Tokyo, Japan, Feb. 9, 2026. [Photo/Xinhua]

The two co-leaders of Japan's main opposition Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA) announced on Monday that they would resign to take responsibility for the party's major defeat in the lower house election.

The CRA, formed in January by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Komeito party, saw its lower house seats drastically reduced to 49 from the pre-election tally of about 170 after Sunday's race.

Yoshihiko Noda and Tetsuo Saito, co-leaders of the newly formed opposition, informed a party board meeting of their intention to resign from their posts.

"The election results are disastrous," Noda said at a press conference on Monday morning. "We'll naturally take responsibility."

Noda told reporters that the new leadership will be decided by Feb. 18, in time for a parliamentary session to reinstate Sanae Takaichi as Japan's prime minister following the House of Representatives election.