Mayor Osaka, Toru Hashimoto. (Source: ajw.asahi.com)

Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto's new national party, the Japan Restoration Party (JRP), made its debut on Saturday to capture a majority of the seats in the next Lower House election. The 43-year-old said “Our mission is to present a third option to voters”. The JRP’s policy is included in the 8-point policy platform "Ishin Hassaku", including halving the number of seats in the lower house of parliament and introducing a system to elect prime ministers by popular vote. Osaka added JRP’s foreign policy will not change the policy of the current government.

In a Kyodo News poll earlier this month, Hashimoto's group secured more support than the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, headed by Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.

Hoang Lien Son, VOV correspondent in Japan