Japan's Democratic Party for the People Mixes Momentum and Backlash

The Diplomat

2 days ago

The party's first-ever seats in the Tokyo legislature come amid scrutiny over its leader's remarks on gender and overall communication strategy.
Japan's opposition parties are preparing to ramp up campaigning ahead of the upper house election, set for July 20, with efforts to draw clearer distinctions from the ruling coalition.
But Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) faced an early setback, as leader Tamaki Yuichiro drew criticism for English language remarks that were slammed for being derogatory toward women.
The center-leaning DPFP is Japan's second largest opposition party. It's known for drawing political support from the under 40 age group and is predominantly male.
On June 24, Tamaki, the party leader, held a press conference, which he opened by praising the DPFP's recent electoral success. It won nine seats in the local Tokyo assembly elections on June 22, marking its first-ever representation in Tokyo.
But the sense of celebration was short-lived. After outlining the DPFP's upper house policies at the Foreign Correspondents' Club (FCCJ) in Japanese, Tamaki responded to reporters' questions in English.
'Many people say what we [the DPFP] are saying is very complicated and difficult to understand,' he said. 'Our policies are good for both men and women, but I think it is difficult for them to understand.'
Tamaki's remarks went largely unnoticed by international media but they attracted fierce backlash from social media users and Japanese lawmakers, who said the phrasing reinforced outdated gender stereotypes.
The DPFP leader has since posted an apology on X (formerly Twitter) explaining that he had used clumsy expressions on account of his 'inexperience with English.' He clarified what he wanted to say was, 'I believe the DPFP's policies are beneficial for women but in reality they haven't been reaching women, and I find that to be a challenge.'
The whiplash between electoral milestone and public scandal was all too familiar for Tamaki and the DPFP. In the fall of 2024, hot off the party's success in the general elections, media reports forced Tamaki to admit to having an extra-martial affair. He was suspended as party leader for three months amid the backlash, but resumed his leadership role in March 2025.
Tamaki, a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School, sought to distinguish the DPFP's centrist platform as an alternative to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-Komeito coalition in his remarks to the FCCJ's foreign audience.
Prior to the controversial remarks, Tamaki criticized what he described as a structural imbalance in Japanese politics, where electoral incentives favor policies that cater to older voters. He said the DPFP seeks to shift this focus by advocating for younger generations and working-age citizens, positioning the party as a counterweight to Japan's 'silver democracy.'
The party's broader agenda includes redirecting fiscal and policy attention away from senior-centered entitlements toward long-term investments in future generations.
Tamaki framed the rising cost of living as Japan's most pressing economic challenge, proposing a three-part plan to increase household disposable income without directly intervening in prices.
To that end, the DPFP proposes three core policies. The first proposal is to raise the basic income tax deduction threshold from 1.03 million yen to 1.78 million yen, easing tax pressure on part-time and middle-income earners.
Second, the DPFP would reduce social security premiums, including a means-tested increase in medical co-payments for individuals over 75 from 10 percent to 20 percent.
Finally, the party seeks to lower household fuel costs by abolishing the provisional gasoline tax surcharge, which has been in place for 50 years. Tamaki said would reduce fuel prices by 25 yen per liter. The DPFP also supports abolishing the renewable energy levy to ease electricity bills.
These measures, he said, are designed to ease the financial burden on younger families and working people.
In the area of national security, Tamaki emphasized Japan's need for greater self-reliance. The DPFP supports increasing the defense budget, but with a focus on developing domestic defense manufacturing capacity rather than increasing imports. He also expressed support for the use of nuclear energy, including Small Modular Reactors and nuclear fusion in order to enhance energy security amid uncertainty.
On education, Tamaki said Japan must double its investment in human capital. The party supports free education through to high school and expanded funding for graduate programs, financed through education-focused national bonds. 'Japan is a country without natural resources,' he said. 'Technological innovation and nurturing people will be the basis for future growth.'
Tamaki said the party's goal of winning 21 seats in the upper house election would give it the minimum leverage to introduce budget legislation. While the DPFP's policy proposals target a broad range of structural challenges, the fallout from Tamaki's foreign press remarks, coming on top of last's year affair scandal, could complicate efforts to broaden support – particularly among women voters the party is keen to reach.