1 week before Japan general election

1 week before Japan general election

TOKYO, Japan - Leaders of the ruling and opposition parties campaign across Japan on Dec. 7, 2014, a week before the Dec. 14 lower house election. They are (from R to L, top row to bottom row) Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party; Banri Kaieda of the Democratic Party of Japan; Kenji Eda, co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party; Natsuo Yamaguchi of the Komeito party; Takeo Hiranuma of the Party for Future Generations; Kazuo Shii of the Japanese Communist Party; Ichiro Ozawa of the People's Life Party; Tadatomo Yoshida of the Social Democratic Party; and Hiroyuki Arai of the New Renaissance Party.

Campaigning begins for Japan general election

Campaigning begins for Japan general election

TOKYO, Japan - Leaders of the ruling and opposition parties stump across Japan on Dec. 2, 2014, the first day of official campaigning for a lower house election. They are (from R to L, top row to bottom row) Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party, Banri Kaieda of the Democratic Party of Japan, Kenji Eda, co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party, Natsuo Yamaguchi of the Komeito party, Takeo Hiranuma of the Party for Future Generations, Kazuo Shii of the Japanese Communist Party, Ichiro Ozawa of the People's Life Party, Tadatomo Yoshida of the Social Democratic Party and Hiroyuki Arai of the New Renaissance Party.

Campaigning begins for Japan general election

Campaigning begins for Japan general election

TOKYO, Japan - Leaders of the ruling and opposition parties stump across Japan on Dec. 2, 2014, the first day of official campaigning for a lower house election. They are (from R to L, top row to bottom row) Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party, Banri Kaieda of the Democratic Party of Japan, Kenji Eda, co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party, Natsuo Yamaguchi of the Komeito party, Takeo Hiranuma of the Party for Future Generations, Kazuo Shii of the Japanese Communist Party, Ichiro Ozawa of the People's Life Party, Tadatomo Yoshida of the Social Democratic Party and Hiroyuki Arai of the New Renaissance Party.

Election campaign begins for general election

Election campaign begins for general election

TOKYO, Japan - Hiroyuki Arai, leader of the New Renaissance Party, starts the general election campaign on Dec. 2, 2014, in Tokyo. The ruling coalition aims at another victory on Dec. 14, while the opposition camp will try to stop one-party dominance by the LDP, which held nearly 300 of the 480 seats in the House of Representatives before it was dissolved two weeks ago.

Bic Camera founder Arai steps down over false earnings figures

Bic Camera founder Arai steps down over false earnings figures

TOKYO, Japan - Hiroyuki Miyajima, president of home electrical appliance retailer Bic Camera Inc., bows in apology during a press conference in Tokyo on Feb. 20. Miyajima said the company's founder Ryuji Arai had stepped down as chairman to take responsibility for false earnings results that contained inflated profit figures.

New party launched by LDP rebels

New party launched by LDP rebels

TOKYO, Japan - (From L to R) Hiroyuki Arai, a member of the House of Councillors, Takashi Aoyama, former House of Representatives member, Nagano Gov. Yasuo Tanaka, and former lower house members Koki Kobayashi and Makoto Taki join hands Aug. 21 to launch a new political party, named Nippon. The four lawmakers broke ranks with the Liberal Democratic Party and voted against Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Japan Post privatization bills.

Another new party to be launched by LDP rebels

Another new party to be launched by LDP rebels

TOKYO, Japan - Nagano Gov. Yasuo Tanaka responds to questions from reporters in Tokyo on Aug. 21 on a new party to be launched by Koki Kobayashi, one of rebels within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and Hiroyuki Arai, who has left the party. Tanaka may head the new party.

Another new party to be launched by LDP rebels

Another new party to be launched by LDP rebels

TOKYO, Japan - Nagano Gov. Yasuo Tanaka responds to questions from reporters in Tokyo on Aug. 21 on a new party to be launched by Koki Kobayashi, one of rebels within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and Hiroyuki Arai, who has left the party. Tanaka may head the new party. (Kyodo)

New party launched by LDP rebels

New party launched by LDP rebels

TOKYO, Japan - (From L to R) Hiroyuki Arai, a member of the House of Councillors, Takashi Aoyama, former House of Representatives member, Nagano Gov. Yasuo Tanaka, and former lower house members Koki Kobayashi and Makoto Taki join hands Aug. 21 to launch a new political party, named Nippon. The four lawmakers broke ranks with the Liberal Democratic Party and voted against Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Japan Post privatization bills. (Kyodo)

Bic Camera founder Arai steps down over false earnings figures

Bic Camera founder Arai steps down over false earnings figures

TOKYO, Japan - Hiroyuki Miyajima, president of home electrical appliance retailer Bic Camera Inc., bows in apology during a press conference in Tokyo on Feb. 20. Miyajima said the company's founder Ryuji Arai had stepped down as chairman to take responsibility for false earnings results that contained inflated profit figures. (Kyodo)

New Renaissance Party to disband

New Renaissance Party to disband

New Renaissance Party leader Hiroyuki Arai announces his withdrawal from politics and disbandment of the party during a press conference in Tokyo on July 11, 2016. Arai failed to gain enough proportional representation votes to hold his seat in the upper house election the previous day, erasing the party's presence from the Diet. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

New Renaissance Party leader Arai at press conference

New Renaissance Party leader Arai at press conference

New Renaissance Party leader Hiroyuki Arai attends a press conference in Tokyo on July 10, 2016, following voting in the upper house election. Arai failed to gain enough proportional representation votes to hold his seat, erasing the party's presence from the Diet. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Campaigning kicks off for upper house election

Campaigning kicks off for upper house election

New Renaissance Party leader Hiroyuki Arai gives his first stump speech in official campaigning for the House of Councillors election, which started on June 22, 2016, in Tokyo. Arai called for abolishing nuclear power. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

1 week before Japan general election

1 week before Japan general election

TOKYO, Japan - Leaders of the ruling and opposition parties campaign across Japan on Dec. 7, 2014, a week before the Dec. 14 lower house election. They are (from R to L, top row to bottom row) Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party; Banri Kaieda of the Democratic Party of Japan; Kenji Eda, co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party; Natsuo Yamaguchi of the Komeito party; Takeo Hiranuma of the Party for Future Generations; Kazuo Shii of the Japanese Communist Party; Ichiro Ozawa of the People's Life Party; Tadatomo Yoshida of the Social Democratic Party; and Hiroyuki Arai of the New Renaissance Party. (Kyodo)

Campaigning begins for Japan general election

Campaigning begins for Japan general election

TOKYO, Japan - Leaders of the ruling and opposition parties stump across Japan on Dec. 2, 2014, the first day of official campaigning for a lower house election. They are (from R to L, top row to bottom row) Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party, Banri Kaieda of the Democratic Party of Japan, Kenji Eda, co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party, Natsuo Yamaguchi of the Komeito party, Takeo Hiranuma of the Party for Future Generations, Kazuo Shii of the Japanese Communist Party, Ichiro Ozawa of the People's Life Party, Tadatomo Yoshida of the Social Democratic Party and Hiroyuki Arai of the New Renaissance Party. (Kyodo)