TOKYO: Japan's most popular politician Yoichi Masuzoe launched a new party on Friday, pledging a break with the old-school politics of the main opposition conservative party he bolted this week.
Masuzoe, a former health minister, became the latest heavyweight member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which was ousted in landslide elections last year, to jump ship ahead of July upper house polls.
The former political science professor, who has often been voted Japan's preferred premier in opinion polls, promised an alternative to his old party and the centre-left Democratic Party of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.
"A power change came true last summer, but the Hatoyama administration has been at a loss. People are really disappointed," the media-savvy 61-year-old former talk show commentator said at his party launch.
"At the same time, people don't expect the revival of an LDP government," Masuzoe said, criticising the old-style politics of the party which dominated Japanese post-war politics until its defeat last year.
"A majority of our people say they have no party to support, which is quite abnormal," said Masuzoe, who bolted the LDP on Thursday.
His party's name is "Shinto Kaikaku", which literally means "new party for reform" and was created by renaming the existing Japan Renaissance Party.
Five former LDP members joined his party, which aims to form an independent force in parliament, keeping its distance from both the LDP and the DPJ.
Masuzoe said he favours a smaller government, reduced corporate taxes and faster deregulation to stimulate the world's second largest economy as it slowly recovers from its worst post-war recession.
"I would like to carry out a great reform of Japan," Masuzoe said. "Let's change Japan together!"
He left the LDP after openly criticising its top leaders and as pressure mounted on him to either stop complaining or leave.
The LDP has recently lost several other senior lawmakers, including former finance minister Kaoru Yosano, deflating its strength despite rising public disappointment with the seven-month-old Hatoyama government.
Hatoyama's poll ratings have slipped into the 20-per-cent range due to a series of money scandals and a drawn-out row about the relocation of a controversial US air base on Okinawa island.
Masuzoe, a former health minister, became the latest heavyweight member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which was ousted in landslide elections last year, to jump ship ahead of July upper house polls.
The former political science professor, who has often been voted Japan's preferred premier in opinion polls, promised an alternative to his old party and the centre-left Democratic Party of Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.
"A power change came true last summer, but the Hatoyama administration has been at a loss. People are really disappointed," the media-savvy 61-year-old former talk show commentator said at his party launch.
"At the same time, people don't expect the revival of an LDP government," Masuzoe said, criticising the old-style politics of the party which dominated Japanese post-war politics until its defeat last year.
"A majority of our people say they have no party to support, which is quite abnormal," said Masuzoe, who bolted the LDP on Thursday.
His party's name is "Shinto Kaikaku", which literally means "new party for reform" and was created by renaming the existing Japan Renaissance Party.
Five former LDP members joined his party, which aims to form an independent force in parliament, keeping its distance from both the LDP and the DPJ.
Masuzoe said he favours a smaller government, reduced corporate taxes and faster deregulation to stimulate the world's second largest economy as it slowly recovers from its worst post-war recession.
"I would like to carry out a great reform of Japan," Masuzoe said. "Let's change Japan together!"
He left the LDP after openly criticising its top leaders and as pressure mounted on him to either stop complaining or leave.
The LDP has recently lost several other senior lawmakers, including former finance minister Kaoru Yosano, deflating its strength despite rising public disappointment with the seven-month-old Hatoyama government.
Hatoyama's poll ratings have slipped into the 20-per-cent range due to a series of money scandals and a drawn-out row about the relocation of a controversial US air base on Okinawa island.
