Political posturing

Another player wants in on national politics it seems.  The Osaka Restoration Party (for lack of an officially translated name) it's going to get in on the election action. Best of luck!

維新の会幹事長、政党 要件満たす方針を明言

地域政党・大阪維新の会幹事長の松井一郎大 阪府知事は１日の記者会見で、「（次期衆院選 を）戦うなら、国で定められている政党を目指 す」と述べ、公職選挙法上の政党要件を満たす ため、国会議員５人以上を集める方針を明言し た。

政党要件を満たせば、衆院選で立候補者が小 選挙区と比例選の重複立候補も可能になる。松 井氏は「政党と地域政党ではメディアの扱いや 選挙でできることが全然違う。悔いなく戦うた めに既存政党と同じ扱いをしてもらえる体制に したい」と強調した。

松井氏は既に他党の国会議員が離党して合流 するなら、次期衆院選での擁立を検討する考え を示していたが、公の場で政党化方針を表明し たのは初めて。維新代表の橋下徹大阪市長は１ 日、「まずは（次期衆院選の公約案となる）維 新八策の中身を固め、示すことが先決だ」と記 者団に語った。

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/election/shugiin/news/20120801-OYT1T01237.htm

Restoration Party chief declares plan to fulfill political party requirements

The head of the regional party, Osaka Restoration Party, Ichiro Matsui, also Osaka prefectural governor, announced at a news conference on August 1 that “If we compete in the next Lower House parliamentary elections, we will aim to be a nationally established political party.” He outlined a policy to gather the minimum of 5 parliamentarians required for party recognition under public election law.

If it fulfills the party requirements, it is possible that candidates will run for both directly elected and proportionally elected seats in the lower house elections, “National and regional political parties are completely different in both media treatment and in what they can accomplish through elections. We want to structure ourselves to receive the same treatment as existing parties and compete without regret,” Matsui explained.

Matsui has previously considered joining with current parliamentarians who have left their party and supporting them in the next Lower House elections but this is the first time to publicly announce the aim of becoming a nationally recognized party. Restoration Party representative Toru Hashimoto, mayor of Osaka, told reporters on the 1st, “Our first and top priority must be to solidify and show the contents of the 8 Measures for Restoration (what will be the party platform for the next elections).”