Okinawa Social Mass Party

Okinawa Social Mass Party (沖縄社会大衆党, Okinawa Shakai Taishū-tō^?) is a local political party in Okinawa, Japan. The party's name is abbreviated as Social Mass Party (社会大衆党, Shakai Taishū-tō^?) or Shadai-tō (社大党^?). The party primary adheres to social liberalism.

History

The party was founded on October 31, 1950 during the US occupation of the region. On April 29, 1952, the party launched an Association for Promotion of Reversion to Japan, which initiated a signature campaign for the demand of reunification with Japan. The campaign gathered more than 199 000 signatures (72%+ of the eligible voters of Okinawa).^[1] At the time, such a campaign was initiated by liberals/leftists, including Okinawa Social Mass Party and another local party called Okinawan People's Party (沖縄人民党, Okinawa Jinmin-tō^?).

After Okinawa's restoration to Japan in 1972, the latter party was merged into Japanese Communist Party. Okinawa Social Mass Party, on the other hand, did not join any mainland Japanese parties, and continues as a local party to this day.

The party has been influential as the leading liberal party in the prefecture. However, after New Komeito Party started to support Liberal Democratic Party from 1998, liberals in Okinawa, including Okinawa Social Mass Party, are gradually losing their influences.

Members

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Members of the House of Councillors of the National Diet

• Keiko Itokazu (糸数慶子^?) (Officially counted as an "independent politician" in the House of Councillors.)

Members of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly

• Kazuma Ōshiro (大城一馬^?)
• Kyōko Higa (比嘉京子^?)

Members of the Naha City Council

• Satoko Hirara (平良識子^?)
• Kenjirō Higa (比嘉憲次郎^?)

Members of the Urasoe City Council

• Sumio Yoza (與座澄雄^?)

References

1. ^ Eldridge, Robert D.. The Origins of the Bilateral Okinawa Problem. New York & London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 2001. p. 380

External links

• The party's official website (Japanese)