Topzle Topzle

Reiwa Shinsengumi

Updated: 12/10/2025, 8:57:50 PM Wikipedia source

Reiwa Shinsengumi (れいわ新選組) is a progressive and left-wing populist political party in Japan founded by actor-turned-politician Taro Yamamoto in April 2019. The party was formed by left-wing members of the Liberal Party who opposed its merger with the Democratic Party for the People. The party won more than 4% of the vote after contesting the House of Councilors election in July 2019, gaining two seats only about three and a half months after the formation of the party. The party is named after the current era name Reiwa and the Shinsengumi of the Bakumatsu period.

Infobox

Secretary-General
Takashi Takai
Co-leaders
Taro YamamotoAkiko OishiMari Kushibuchi
Founder
Taro Yamamoto
Founded
1 April 2019 (2019-04-01)
Split from
Liberal Party
Headquarters
1F, Akasaka-Kōei Bldg. 3-2-6 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Ideology
ProgressivismLeft-wing populism
Political position
Left-wing
Colors
mw- Pink
Slogan
「日本を守る」とは、「あなたを守る」ことから始まるNihon wo mamoru to wa anata wo mamoru kotokara hajimaru("Protecting Japan starts with protecting you")
Councillors
6 / 248
Representatives
9 / 465
Prefectural assembly members
0 / 2,644
Municipal assembly members
54 / 29,135

Tables

· Leader
Left office
Left office
No.
Took office
Name(Birth–death)
Left office
Taro Yamamoto(b. 1974)
Taro Yamamoto(b. 1974)
No.
1
Name(Birth–death)
Taro Yamamoto(b. 1974)
Constituency / title
Cou for Tokyo(21 July 2013 – 21 July 2019; 25 July 2022 – present)Rep for Tokyo PR block(31 October 2021 – 15 April 2022)
Term of office
1 April 2019
Term of office
Incumbent
Election results
2019 Unopposed2022 Taro Yamamoto – 8.83Mari Kushibuchi and Akiko Oishi – 4.36Tsunehira Furuya – 3.81
No.
Name(Birth–death)
Constituency / title
Term of office
Election results
Image
Took office
Left office
Split from: a part of Liberal Party (2016) (centre-left)
1
Taro Yamamoto(b. 1974)
Cou for Tokyo(21 July 2013 – 21 July 2019; 25 July 2022 – present)Rep for Tokyo PR block(31 October 2021 – 15 April 2022)
1 April 2019
Incumbent
2019 Unopposed2022 Taro Yamamoto – 8.83Mari Kushibuchi and Akiko Oishi – 4.36Tsunehira Furuya – 3.81
· Election results › House of Representatives
No.
No.
Election
No.
Leader
±
Candidates
Share
Seats
Number
Seats
%
Seats
Number
Position
%
2021
2021
Election
2021
Leader
Taro Yamamoto
Candidates
21
Seats
3 / 465
Seats
new
Seats
0.6%
Position
7th
Constituency votes
248,280
Constituency votes
0.43%
PR Block votes
2,215,648
PR Block votes
3.86%
Government
Opposition
2024
2024
Election
2024
Leader
35
Candidates
9 / 465
Seats
6
Seats
1.9%
Seats
6th
Position
425,445
Constituency votes
0.78%
Constituency votes
3,805,060
PR Block votes
6.98%
PR Block votes
Opposition
Election
Leader
Candidates
Seats
Position
Constituency votes
PR Block votes
Government
No.
±
Share
Number
%
Number
%
2021
Taro Yamamoto
21
3 / 465
new
0.6%
7th
248,280
0.43%
2,215,648
3.86%
Opposition
2024
35
9 / 465
6
1.9%
6th
425,445
0.78%
3,805,060
6.98%
Opposition
· Election results › House of Councillors
Total
Total
Election
Total
Leader
Won
Candidates
Votes
Seats
%
Seats
Votes
Nationwide
%
2019
2019
Election
2019
Leader
Taro Yamamoto
Candidates
10
Seats
2 / 245
Seats
2 / 124
Nationwide
2,280,252
Nationwide
4.6
Prefecture
214,438
Prefecture
0.4
Status
Opposition
2022
2022
Election
2022
Leader
14
Candidates
5 / 248
Seats
3 / 125
Seats
2,319,157
Nationwide
4.4
Nationwide
989,716
Prefecture
1.9
Prefecture
Opposition
2025
2025
Election
2025
Leader
24
Candidates
6 / 248
Seats
3 / 125
Seats
3,879,914
Nationwide
6.6
Nationwide
1,881,606
Prefecture
3.2
Prefecture
Opposition
Election
Leader
Candidates
Seats
Nationwide
Prefecture
Status
Total
Won
Votes
%
Votes
%
2019
Taro Yamamoto
10
2 / 245
2 / 124
2,280,252
4.6
214,438
0.4
Opposition
2022
14
5 / 248
3 / 125
2,319,157
4.4
989,716
1.9
Opposition
2025
24
6 / 248
3 / 125
3,879,914
6.6
1,881,606
3.2
Opposition
· Election results › Tokyo gubernatorial
2020
2020
Election
2020
Candidate
Taro Yamamoto
Votes
657,277
%
10.72
Finishing place
3rd
Result
Lost
Election
Candidate
Votes
%
Finishing place
Result
2020
Taro Yamamoto
657,277
10.72
3rd
Lost
· Election results › Tokyo prefectural
2021
2021
Election
2021
Leader
Taro Yamamoto
Votes
37,299
%
0.80
Seats
0 / 127
2025
2025
Election
2025
Leader
46,743
Votes
0.88
%
0 / 127
Election
Leader
Votes
%
Seats
2021
Taro Yamamoto
37,299
0.80
0 / 127
2025
46,743
0.88
0 / 127

References

  1. Funago with ALS and Kimura with cerebral palsy
  2. The Diplomat
    https://thediplomat.com/2019/08/japans-upper-house-election-results-a-win-for-diversity/
  3. Fahey, Hino & Pekkanen 2021, p. 341.
  4. UnHerd
    https://unherd.com/newsroom/meet-taro-yamamoto-japans-answer-to-aoc/
  5. European Journal of Political Research Political Data Yearbook
    https://ejpr.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/2047-8852.12402
  6. Semafor
    https://www.semafor.com/article/10/26/2024/the-battle-royale-actor-fighting-japans-conservative-establishment
  7. "れいわ新選組のチラシ"
    https://reiwa-shinsengumi.com/flier/
  8. "地方公共団体の議会の議員及び長の所属党派別人員調等(令和5年12月31日現在)"
    https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_content/000938138.pdf
  9. Japan Decides 2021: The Japanese General Election
    https://books.google.com/books?id=zQafEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA65
  10. The Japan Times
    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/07/20/national/media-national/citizen-campaigns-seek-increase-voter-turnout-upper-house-election/
  11. news.yahoo.co.jp
    https://web.archive.org/web/20190723141452/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/byline/ishidosatoru/20190722-00135238/
  12. The Japan Times
    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2019/08/02/commentary/japan-commentary/populism-finally-coming-japan/
  13. The Sankei News
    https://www.sankei.com/article/20190410-RMR6JIPY7FM6VENNI5UNVFISA4/
  14. Asahi Shimbun Digital
    https://web.archive.org/web/20190621023454/https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM4B5DL1M4BUTFK013.html
  15. Pekkanen & Reed 2023, pp. 64–65.
  16. 山本太郎・参院議員が新党『れいわ新選組』を結党 消費税廃止を公約に
    https://sirabee.com/2019/04/12/20162064572/
  17. "Reiwa Shinsengumi makes splash in Japanese election debut, giving voice to people with disabilities"
    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/07/22/national/politics-diplomacy/anti-establishment-group-reiwa-shinsengumi-makes-big-strides-japanese-politics/
  18. The Japan Times
    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/06/15/national/politics-diplomacy/reiwa-shinsengumi-leader-taro-yamamoto-tokyo-governor/
  19. The Japan Times
    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/10/13/national/politics-diplomacy/opposition-unity-explainer/
  20. Asahi Shimbun
    https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASPBB6R87PBBUTFK11F.html
  21. Yahoo! News Japan
    https://web.archive.org/web/20211018074025/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/183f3c5fa2981b8ead0c4ac3fd7b882403a753ff
  22. The Asahi Shimbun
    https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14462640
  23. The Japan Times
    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/04/15/national/cdp-lawmaker-quit-party-hostess-bar-coronavirus/
  24. Kyoto Shimbun
    https://web.archive.org/web/20211005051935/https://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/articles/-/651267
  25. 選挙ドットコム
    https://go2senkyo.com/shugiin/19607
  26. Mainichi Daily News
    https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20220415/p2a/00m/0na/027000c
  27. 読売新聞オンライン
    https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/election/sangiin/YE13XXXXXX000/
  28. nippon.com
    https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h01380/
  29. The Japan Times
    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/04/18/national/politics-diplomacy/liberal-parties-youth-little-support/
  30. Mainichi Shimbun
    https://mainichi.jp/premier/politics/articles/20220715/pol/00m/010/029000c
  31. Center for Strategic and International Studies
    https://www.csis.org/analysis/new-normal-navigating-japans-shifting-political-currents
  32. Pekkanen & Reed 2023, p. 65.
  33. Ueda 2021, p. 136.
  34. 日本経済新聞
    https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGKKZO84649430X01C24A1DTD000/
  35. Taylor & Francis eBooks
    https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003399780-7/varieties-populism-japan-andreas-eder-ramsauer-mitsuru-matsutani
  36. Hanssen 2021, p. 77.
  37. Klein 2020, p. 13.
  38. Hanssen 2021, p. 74.
  39. The Diplomat
    https://thediplomat.com/2025/03/in-japan-the-radicalness-of-yamamoto-taro-meets-the-moment/
  40. Fahey, Hino & Pekkanen 2021, p. 342.
  41. Cambridge Review of International Affairs
    https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/09557571.2025.2477797?needAccess=true
  42. The Japan Times
    https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/07/22/national/politics-diplomacy/anti-establishment-group-reiwa-shinsengumi-makes-big-strides-japanese-politics/
  43. Kyodo News
    https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2019/07/0476a31c4912-man-with-lou-gehrigs-disease-wins-seat-in-japanese-diet-for-1st-time.html
  44. reiwa-shinsengumi.com
    https://reiwa-shinsengumi.com/policy/
  45. Kyodo News+
    https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2019/07/fdd226f7b3f7-new-group-led-by-actor-turned-politician-yamamoto-wins-seat.html
  46. Le Petit Journal
    https://lepetitjournal.com/tokyo/japon-elections-reiwa-shinsengumi
  47. El HuffPost
    https://www.huffingtonpost.es/entry/el-gobernante-pld-de-japon-logra-una-holgada-victoria-en-los-comicios-tras-el-asesinato-de-abe_es_62cb93a7e4b0451684643704
  48. Japanese Constitutional Revisionism and Civic Activism
    https://books.google.com/books?id=8mUuEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA86
  49. "トップページ – れいわ新選組"
    https://reiwa-shinsengumi.com/
  50. "Japan's Pro-Palestine Lawmakers Hold on to their Seats in Parliament Elections"
    https://www.palestinechronicle.com/japans-pro-palestine-lawmakers-hold-on-to-their-seats-in-parliament-elections/
Image
Source:
Tip: Wheel or +/− to zoom, drag to pan, Esc to close.