Leader of the Opposition (Japan)

Leader of the Opposition of Japan
Incumbent Katsuya Okada since 14 December 2014

Japan

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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			Political Party
	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Days	Political Party
		Shigeru Yoshida 吉田茂 Yoshida Shigeru (1878-1967)	24 May 1947	15 October 1948	510	Liberal Party
		Tetsu Katayama 片山哲 Katayama Tetsu (1887-1978)	15 October 1948	16 January 1950	458	Socialist Party
		Inejirō Asanuma 浅沼稲次郎 Asanuma Inejirō (1898-1960)	16 January 1950	19 January 1951	368	Socialist Party
		Mosaburō Suzuki 鈴木茂三郎 Suzuki Mosaburō (1893-1970)	19 January 1951	18 January 1953	730	Socialist Party
		Jōtarō Kawakami 河上丈太郎 Kawakami Jōtarō (1889-1965)	18 January 1953	27 February 1955	770	Rightist Socialist Party
		Mosaburō Suzuki 鈴木茂三郎 Suzuki Mosaburō (1893-1970)	27 February 1955	13 October 1955	228	Leftist Socialist Party
		Mosaburō Suzuki 鈴木茂三郎 Suzuki Mosaburō (1893-1970)	13 October 1955	23 March 1960	1623	Socialist Party
		Inejirō Asanuma 浅沼稲次郎 Asanuma Inejirō (1898-1960)	23 March 1960	12 October 1960	203	Socialist Party
		Saburō Eda 江田三郎 Eda Saburō (1907-1977)	12 October 1960	6 March 1961	145	Socialist Party
		Jōtarō Kawakami 河上丈太郎 Kawakami Jōtarō (1889-1965)	6 March 1961	6 May 1965	1522	Socialist Party
		Kouzou Sasaki 佐々木更三 Sasaki Kouzou (1900-1985)	6 May 1965	19 August 1967	835	Socialist Party
		Seiichi Katsumata 勝間田清一 Katsumata Seiichi (1908-1989)	19 August 1967	4 October 1968	412	Socialist Party
		Tomomi Narita 成田知巳 Narita Tomomi (1912-1979)	4 October 1968	26 September 1977	3279	Socialist Party
		Ichio Asukata 飛鳥田一雄 Asukata Ichio (1915-1990)	26 September 1977	7 September 1983	2172	Socialist Party
		Masashi Ishibashi 石橋政嗣 Ishibashi Masashi (b. 1924)	7 September 1983	8 September 1983	1	Socialist Party
		Takako Doi 土井たか子 Doi Takako (1928-2014)	8 September 1983	7 January 1989	1948	Socialist Party

Leaders of the Opposition during the Heisei period (1989–present)

Under Emperor Akihito

	Opposition Leader		Term of office			Political Party
	Portrait	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Days	Political Party
		Takako Doi 土井たか子 Doi Takako (1928-2014)	7 January 1989	31 July 1991	3127	Socialist Party
		Tanabe Makoto 田邊誠 Makoto Tanabe (b. 1922)	31 July 1991	19 January 1993	538	Socialist Party
		Sadao Yamahana 山花貞夫 Yamahana Sadao (1936-1999)	19 January 1993	9 August 1993	202	Socialist Party
		Yōhei Kōno 河野洋平 Kōno Yōhei (b. 1937)	9 August 1993	11 January 1996	885	Liberal Democratic Party
		Ichirō Ozawa 小沢一郎 Ozawa Ichirō (b. 1942)	11 January 1996	31 December 1997	720	New Frontier Party
		Naoto Kan 菅直人 Kan Naoto (b. 1946)	31 December 1997	27 April 1998	117	Democratic Party
		Naoto Kan 菅直人 Kan Naoto (b. 1946)	27 April 1998	25 September 1999	516	Democratic Party of Japan
		Yukio Hatoyama 鳩山由紀夫 Hatoyama Yukio (b. 1947)	25 September 1999	10 December 2002	1172	Democratic Party
		Naoto Kan 菅直人 Kan Naoto (b. 1946)	10 December 2002	18 May 2004	525	Democratic Party
		Katsuya Okada 岡田克也 Okada Katsuya (b. 1953)	18 May 2004	17 September 2005	487	Democratic Party
		Seiji Maehara 前原誠司 Maehara Seiji (b. 1962)	17 September 2005	7 April 2006	202	Democratic Party
		Ichirō Ozawa 小沢一郎 Ozawa Ichirō (b. 1942)	7 April 2006	16 May 2009	1135	Democratic Party
		Yukio Hatoyama 鳩山由紀夫 Hatoyama Yukio (b. 1947)	16 May 2009	16 September 2009	123	Democratic Party
		Masatoshi Wakabayashi 若林正俊 Wakabayashi Masatoshi (b. 1934)	16 September 2009	28 September 2009	12	Liberal Democratic Party
		Sadakazu Tanigaki 谷垣禎一 Tanigaki Sadakazu (b. 1945)	28 September 2009	26 September 2012	1094	Liberal Democratic Party
		Shinzō Abe 安倍晋三 Abe Shinzō (b. 1954)	26 September 2012	26 December 2012	91	Liberal Democratic Party
		Banri Kaieda 海江田万里 Kaieda Banri (b. 1949)	26 December 2012	14 December 2014	718	Democratic Party
		Katsuya Okada 岡田克也 Okada Katsuya (b. 1953)	14 December 2014	Incumbent	135	Democratic Party

References