Okinawa Social Mass Party


Okinawa Social Mass Party is a local political party in Okinawa, Japan. The party's name is abbreviated as Social Mass Party or Shadai-tō. The party primarily adheres to social democracy.

History

The party was founded on 31 October 1950 during the US occupation of the region. On 29 April 1952, the party launched an Association for Promotion of Reversion to Japan, which initiated a signature campaign for the demand of reunification with Japan. The campaign gathered more than 199,000 signatures. At the time, such a campaign was initiated by liberals/leftists, including Okinawa Social Mass Party and another local party called Okinawan People's Party.
After Okinawa's restoration to Japan in 1972, the latter party was merged into Japanese Communist Party. Okinawa Social Mass Party, on the other hand, did not join any mainland Japanese parties, and continues as a local party to this day.
The party has been influential as the leading liberal party in the prefecture. However, after New Komeito Party started to support Liberal Democratic Party from 1998, liberals in Okinawa, including Okinawa Social Mass Party, are gradually losing their influences.

Members

;Members of the House of Councillors of the National Diet
;Members of the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly
;Members of the Naha City Council
;Members of the Urasoe City Council