The two co-leaders of Japan's main opposition Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA) announced on Monday that they would resign to take responsibility for the party's major defeat in the lower house election.

The CRA, formed in January by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Komeito party, saw its lower house seats drastically reduced to 49 from the pre-election tally of about 170 after Sunday's race.

Co-leaders of the opposition party Centrist Reform Alliance, Yoshihiko Noda (L) and Tetsuo Saito hold a press conference the day after the House of Representatives election at the party's headquaters in Tokyo on February 9, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Yoshihiko Noda and Tetsuo Saito, co-leaders of the newly formed opposition, informed a party board meeting of their intention to resign from their posts.

"The election results are disastrous," Noda said at a press conference on Monday morning. "We'll naturally take responsibility."

Noda told reporters that the new leadership will be decided by Feb. 18, in time for a parliamentary session to reinstate Sanae Takaichi as Japan's prime minister following the House of Representatives election.