After collapse of merger talks, centrist parties seek unity without unification

A day after a plan for the Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA) to merge with two others officially crumbled, more questions than answers have emerged over the fate of the Lower House’s largest opposition party, which appears headed toward a breakup of its own. The leaders of the CRA, the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) and Komeito agreed Monday to abandon plans to form a single party. CRA chief Junya Ogawa acknowledged that the “current structure” would not continue, but declined to comment on the specifics.