Leader of the Opposition (Japan)
The Leader of the Opposition is the leader of the largest opposing party to the government.
Role and duties
The role of Leader of the Opposition is not an official office.
Leaders of the Opposition of the State of Japan (1947–present)
Leaders of the Opposition during the Shōwa period (1947–1989)
- Under the Shōwa Emperor
Opposition Leader |
Term of office |
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|---|---|---|---|
Portrait |
Name |
Took Office |
Left Office |
Shigeru Yoshida |
24 May 1947 |
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Tetsu Katayama |
15 October 1948 |
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Inejirō Asanuma |
16 January 1950 |
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Mosaburō Suzuki |
19 January 1951 |
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Jōtarō Kawakami |
18 January 1953 |
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Mosaburō Suzuki |
27 February 1955 |
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13 October 1955 |
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Inejirō Asanuma |
23 March 1960 |
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80px |
Saburō Eda |
12 October 1960 |
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Jōtarō Kawakami |
6 March 1961 |
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Kouzou Sasaki |
6 May 1965 |
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Seiichi Katsumata |
19 August 1967 |
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Tomomi Narita |
4 October 1968 |
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Ichio Asukata |
26 September 1977 |
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Masashi Ishibashi |
7 September 1983 |
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Takako Doi |
8 September 1983 |
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Leaders of the Opposition during the Heisei period (1989–present)
- Under Emperor Akihito
Opposition Leader |
Term of office |
||
|---|---|---|---|
Portrait |
Name |
Took Office |
Left Office |
Takako Doi |
7 January 1989 |
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Tanabe Makoto |
31 July 1991 |
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Sadao Yamahana |
19 January 1993 |
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Yōhei Kōno |
9 August 1993 |
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Ichirō Ozawa |
11 January 1996 |
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Naoto Kan |
31 December 1997 |
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27 April 1998 |
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Yukio Hatoyama |
25 September 1999 |
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Naoto Kan |
10 December 2002 |
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Katsuya Okada |
18 May 2004 |
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Seiji Maehara |
17 September 2005 |
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Ichirō Ozawa |
7 April 2006 |
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Yukio Hatoyama |
16 May 2009 |
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Masatoshi Wakabayashi |
16 September 2009 |
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Sadakazu Tanigaki |
28 September 2009 |
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Shinzō Abe |
26 September 2012 |
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Banri Kaieda |
26 December 2012 |
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Katsuya Okada |
14 December 2014 |
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