The 2016 Democratic Party leadership election was held on 15 September 2016. It was the party's first election since the formation of the party from the merger of the

Democratic Party of Japan The was a Centrism, centristThe Democratic Party of Japan was widely described as centrist: * * * * * * * to Centre-left politics, centre-left, Liberalism, liberal or Social liberalism, social-liberal List of political parties in Japan, ...

and the

Japan Innovation Party The is a conservative and centre-right to right-wing populist political party in Japan. Formed as Initiatives from Osaka in October 2015 from a split in the old Japan Innovation Party, the party became the third-biggest opposition party in ...

. The race determined the successor of acting president

Katsuya Okada is a Japanese politician who was Deputy Prime Minister of Japan from January to December 2012. A member of the House of Representatives of Japan, he was the President of the Democratic Party (Japan, 2016), Democratic Party, and previously of th ...

who decided against running for a full term.

The Japan Times ''The Japan Times'' is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper. It is published by , a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc. It is headquartered in the in Kioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo. History ''The Japan Times'' was launched by ...

, July 30, 2016
Democratic Party chief Okada won’t seek re-election
/ref>

Candidates

Running

* Renho, former cabinet minister and sitting member of the

House of Councillors The is the upper house of the National Diet of Japan. The House of Representatives (Japan), House of Representatives is the lower house. The House of Councillors is the successor to the pre-war House of Peers (Japan), House of Peers. If the t ...

. *

Seiji Maehara is a Japanese politician who has been a member of the House of Representatives of Japan since 1993. He founded and led the political party, Free Education for All, before its merger into Nippon Ishin no Kai on 3 October 2024. Maehara was the ...

, former party president (2005–06) and

Minister of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and foreign relations, relations, diplomacy, bilateralism, ...

(2010-11). *

Yuichiro Tamaki is a Japanese politician and the leader of the Democratic Party For the People (DPFP). He is a member of the House of Representatives, and a former leader of Kibō no Tō. Before joining Kibō, Tamaki was a member of the Democratic Party. E ...

, member of the

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entities. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often ...

and former bureaucrat.

Potential or has publicly expressed interest

Akihisa Nagashima is a member of the House of Representatives of Japan as well as a visiting professor at Chuo University's Graduate School of Public Studies. He served as the Parliamentary Vice Minister of Defense in the Kan Cabinet. Early life and education Na ...

, former vice defense minister.The Japan Times, August 17, 2016
Within DP, efforts ongoing to field challengers to Renho
/ref>

Declined to run

, acting party president. *

Goshi Hosono is a Japanese politician and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Ōmihachiman, Shiga and graduate of Kyoto University, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2000 ...

, former party policy chief and candidate in the 2015 DPJ presidential election.The Japan Times, August 9, 2016
Hosono may back Renho in DP leadership race
/ref>

Results

Voting was held on 15 September, following a campaign period from 2 September.

References

{{Democratic Party (Japan) 2016 elections in Japan Political party leadership elections in Japan September 2016 in Japan Democratic Party (Japan, 2016) leadership election