Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyūkai


Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyūkai, often shortened to Seiwa Kai, was a major faction within Japan's Liberal Democratic Party. It was led by Shinzo Abe from 2021 until his assassination in 2022, and hence has been nicknamed the Abe faction. Since Abe's death, it had collective leadership. The faction announced its dissolution in January 2024.
Seiwakai was the largest faction within the LDP from 2005 until its dissolution. Among the LDP's factions, Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyūkai was the most hardline conservative.

History

The faction was established in 1979 by former prime minister Takeo Fukuda. The faction has its origins on a group formed by Fukuda to oppose prime minister Hayato Ikeda's economic policies.
The faction was led by Shinzo Abe from 2021 until his assassination in 2022. Since Abe's death, it has had collective leadership. On 17 August 2023, the faction has agreed to introduce a collective leadership system, with Ryū Shionoya as its coordinator, while leaving the previous chairmanship post vacant.
In December 2023, news about a slush fund scandal involving several Seiwakai ministers and party bosses, including Yasutoshi Nishimura and Kōichi Hagiuda, leaked. According to initial public allegations, dozens of members of the Diet from the Seiwakai were suspected of collecting at least ¥100 million from fundraising and storing the money in slush funds, in violating of Japanese campaign finance and election law. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida responded by removing all Seiwakai ministers from the cabinet. The National Police Agency raided the Seiwakai headquarters later in the month. Amidst the growing scandal, and following Kishida's announcement that he will dissolve his Kōchikai faction, the Seiwakai announced on 19 January 2024 that it will dissolve itself.

Political stance

Seiwakai is referred to as a nationalist or national-conservative. It has been characterized as right-leaning, hawkish and favoring constitutional revision.

Seiwa Kai faction heads

Faction heads who served as prime minister are in bold.
ImageFaction headYears
1Takeo Fukuda19791986
2Shintaro Abe19861991
3Hiroshi Mitsuzuka19911998
4Yoshiro Mori19982000
5Junichiro Koizumi20002001
6Yoshiro Mori20012006
7Nobutaka Machimura20062007
-N/ACaretaker System:
Nobutaka Machimura
Hidenao Nakagawa
Shuzen Tanigawa		20072009
8Nobutaka Machimura20092014
9Hiroyuki Hosoda20142021
10Shinzo Abe20212022
'
-'Representative:''
Ryū Shionoya		20222024