| 1998 |
8 Jan. |
Six parties: the Democratic Party (Minshuto), the New Fraternity Party (Shinto-Yuai), Voice of the People (Kokumin-no-koe), the Taiyo Party (Taiyo-to), From Five, and the Democratic Reform Party (Minshu-Kaikaku-Rengo) joined to form Minyuren (Minshu-Yuai-Taiyo-Kokumin-Rengo) |
| 6 Feb. |
A Political Strategy Council (Seiken-Senryaku-Kaigi) led by former Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa was established. |
| 12 Mar. |
Four parties of Minyuren - the Democratic Party, Minseito or the Good Governance Party (the Taiyo Party, Kokumin-no-Koe and From Five had merged to form Minseito), the New Fraternity Party and the Democratic Reform Party - agreed to unite to form a new party, the Democratic Party of Japan (Minshuto). |
| 16 Mar. |
A Unification Council was established at a meeting of representatives of the four parties and it was decided to form three working committees on "Philosophy and Basic Policy" , "Organization, Rules and Finance", and "Election Measures", as well as a "Women Involvement Committee." |
| 8 Apr. |
1st meeting of the DPJ Standing Officers Council was convened (to prepare for unification) |
| 13 Apr. |
97 Diet members were registered as members of the DPJ kaiha (voting bloc) in the House of Representatives and 41 Diet members were registered as membersof the DPJ-Independents kaiha in the House of Councillors. |
| 27 Apr. |
The DPJ Unification Convention was held to celebrate the legal unification of the four parties. Naoto Kan was elected as President and Tsutomu Hata as Secretary-General, and the party regulations were established. 93 members of the House of Representatives and 38 members of the House of Councillors became members of the new party. |
| 12 Jul. |
The 18th election of the House of Councilors was held.15 authorized DPJ candidates and 13 recommended candidates were elected in the prefectural constituencies and 12 DPJ authorized candidates were elected in the proportional representation constituencies. |
| 13 Jul. |
In accordance with the Law of Party Subsidies, the DPJ registered its 141 members of parliament: 92 members of the House of Representatives and 49 members of the House of Councillors. |
| 16 Jul. |
Chair, General Assembly of DPJ Diet Members Keiwa Okuda passed away. |
| 19 Sep. |
DPJ Regional Members Forum and National Workshop were held. |
| 1999 |
18 Jan. |
1st Party Convention was held and re-elected Naoto Kan as President and Tsutomu Hata as Secretary-General. |
| 11 Apr. |
1st half of Unified Local Elections held. |
| 25 Apr. |
2nd half of Unified Local Elections held. |
| 27 Apr. |
1st anniversary of party formation. There were 144 registered DPJ Diet members: 93 members of the House of Representatives and 51 members of the House of Councillors. |
| 21 Jun. |
A reception was held to commemorate the 1st anniversary of party formation. |
| 24 Jul. |
A National Workshop was held in Yuzawa, Niigata prefecture. |
| 4 Aug. |
The DPJ organized the funeral for Sadao Yamahana, Chair of the Election Measures Committee, who passed away on July 14. |
| 24 Aug. |
The Standing Officers Council decided rules for party presidential elections. |
| 11 Sep. |
The DPJ Presidential Election officially began. There were 3 candidates. |
| 25 Sep. |
The Party Presidential Election Convention was held and elected Yukio Hatoyama as President. The presidential election rules and party organization rules were revised. |
| 1 Oct. |
The new party executive was introduced at a General Assembly of DPJ Diet members. Tsutomu Hata was re-appointed as Secretary-General. |
| 2000 |
16 Jan. |
The 2nd regular Party Convention was held in Kobe. The new party presidential election rules were approved. |
| 7 Mar. |
The 99th meeting of the Standing Officers Council established the "DPJ ethics rules." |
| 11 Apr. |
Member of the Central Presidential Election Committee, Member of House of Representatives Soya Fukuoka passed away. |
| 27 Apr. |
The 2nd anniversary of DPJ foundation. There were 150 registered DPJ Diet members: 95 in the House of Representatives and 55 in the House of Councillors. |
| 2 Jun. |
The House of Representatives was dissolved. |
| 25 Jun. |
The 42nd General Election of the House of Representatives was held. The DPJ won 80 seats in the prefectural constituencies and 47 seats in the proportional representation constituencies. |
| 26 Jun. |
There were 182 registered DPJ Diet members: 127 members of the House of Representatives and 55 members of the House of Councillors. |
| 21 Aug. |
The Party Presidential Election officially began. |
| 9 Sep. |
The Party Presidential Election Convention was held and elected Yukio Hatoyama as President, Naoto Kan as Secretary-General and Tsutomu Hata as Special Representative. A National Workshop was held after the convention. |
| 2001 |
20 Jan. |
The 3rd regular Party Convention was held. |
| 17 Apr. |
The DPJ breakthrough fund-raising party was held; the image song was adopted. |
| 27 Apr. |
The 3rd anniversary of the foundation of the DPJ. There were 179 registered DPJ Diet members: 125 members of the House of Representatives and 54 members of the House of Councillors. |
| 29 Jul. |
The 19th House of Councillors election was held.18 authorized DPJ candidates and 2 recommended candidates were elected in the prefectural constituencies and 8 authorized DPJ candidates in the proportional representation constituencies. |
| 30 Jul. |
There were 183 registered DPJ Diet members: 125 members of the House of Representatives and 58 members of the House of Councillors. |
| 8-9 Sep. |
The DPJ Strengthening National Assembly was held. |
| 11 Dec. |
The organization rules were amended at the 187th meeting of the Standing Officers Council |
| 18 Dec. |
The presidential election rules were amended at the 188th meeting of the Standing Officers Council. |
| 2002 |
19 Jan. |
The 4th regular Party Convention was held. The party rules were amended. |
| 9 Sep. |
The Party Presidential Election was publicly announced. |
| 23 Sep. |
The Party Presidential Election Convention was held and elected Yukio Hatoyama as President. Kansei Nakano was appointed as Secretary-General the following day. |
| 1 Oct. |
A General Assembly of DPJ Diet Members was held, and Tsutomu Hata was reappointed as Special Representative. |
| 25 Oct. |
Chair of the Special Committee on Disasters in the House of Representatives, Member of the House of Representatives Koshi Ishii was stabbed to death outside his house (the DPJ held a memorial service in his honour on 7th Nov) |
| 27 Oct. |
Unified By-elections held. (DPJ candidate Jun Saito was elected in Yamagata No. 4 Constituency) |
| 3 Dec. |
A General Assembly of DPJ Diet members was held, and Yukio Hatoyama's resignation as President accepted. |
| 10 Dec. |
A General Assembly of DPJ Diet members was held, and Naoto Kan was chosen as the next President (there were two candidates). |
| 13 Dec. |
A General Assembly of DPJ Diet members was held. Yukio Hatoyama resigned, and Naoto Kan and Katsuya Okada were appointed as President and Secretary-General. |
| 2003 |
18 Jan. |
The 5th regular Party Convention was held.
DPJ Action Plan for the Year 2003 was adopted. |
| 13 Apr. |
First half of Unified Local Elections held
(former member of the House of Representatives Shigefumi Matsuzawa was elected as Governor of Kanagawa Prefecture) |
| 27 Apr. |
5th anniversary of the founding of the DPJ
Second half of Unified Local Elections held
(former member of the House of Representatives Yoshio Hachiro was elected as Governor of Oita Prefecture)
Unified By-elections held (former member of the House of Representatives Yoko Komiyama was elected to the House of Representatives in Tokyo Number 6 Constituency) |
| 1 Jul. |
DPJ breakthrough fundraising party was held, celebrating the party's 5th anniversary |
| 6 Jul. |
Ichiro Hino, Member of the House of Representatives and Chair of the DPJ Logic Committee passed away. |
| 18 Jul. |
The 5th regular Party Convention was held.
DPJ Action Plan for the Year 2003 was adopted. |
| 24 Jul. |
255th Extraordinary Meeting of the party's Standing Officers Council approved the "Agreement for a Merger between the Democratic Party of Japan and the Liberal Party" |
| 19 Sep. |
Merger with the Liberal Party approved by a general meeting of DPJ Diet members |
| 24 Sep. |
DPJ and Liberal Party signed merger agreement |
| 25 Sep. |
Unified kaihas (voting blocs) registered with the Diet (138 members of the House of Representatives, including 1 Independent, and 69 members of the House of Councillors, including 3 Independents)
A joint general meeting of Diet members was held with the Liberal Party |
| 25 Sep. |
Liberal Party's dissolution and continuation of Democratic Party of Japan registered (204 registered DPJ Diet members: 137 members of the House of Representatives and 67 members of the House of Councillors, including Vice-President Motooka) |
| 5 Oct. |
DPJ Convention (DPJ-Liberal Party Merger Convention) held (10th Party Convention) |
| 9 Nov. |
43rd House of Representatives Election (General Election) held. 177 DPJ candidates are elected (105 in single-seat constituencies and 67 in proportional representation constituencies) |
| 19 Nov. |
157th Extraordinary Diet Session convened (DPJ kaihas: House of Representatives 179 members, House of Councillors 69 members) |
| 11 Dec. |
New party executive appointed by a general meeting of DPJ Diet members (New Standing officers included Tsutomu Hata as Supreme Advisor, Ichiro Ozawa as Acting President, and Naoto Kan as President) |
| 2004 |
9 Jan. |
DPJ presidential election rules and organization rules amended in 281st meeting of the DPJ Standing Officers Council |
| 13 Jan. |
6th Regular Party Convention held. |
| 10 May |
General Assembly of DPJ Diet members held. Naoto Kan announced his resignation as President. |
| 18 May |
General Assembly of DPJ Diet members elected Katsuya Okada as the new President. DPJ held regular breakthrough fundraising party. |
| 20 May |
New party executive announced. Hirohisa Fujii was appointed as Secretary General and Yoshito Sengoku as Policy Research Committee Chair. |
| 11 Jul. |
The 20th House of Councillors Election was held. 31 official DPJ candidates and 5 recommended candidates were elected in the constituency seats and 19 DPJ candidates were elected in the proportional representation seats. |
| 30 Aug. |
The start of the DPJ Presidential Election was publicly announced. There was one candidate. |
| 13 Sep. |
Reelection of Katsuya Okada as President was approved at a special party convention. The new party executive was announced. Hirohisa Fujii was appointed as Acting President and Tatsuo Kawabata as Secretary General. |
| 19 Dec. |
Annual DPJ party convention held in Fukuoka. |
| 2005 |
24 Apr. |
Unified by-elections held |
| 3 Jul. |
Tokyo Metropolitan election held |
| 11 Sep. |
The 44th General Election of the House of Representatives was held. The DPJ won 113 seats, 52 in single-seat constituencies and 61 in the proportional representation constituencies, and gained a total of 24.8 million votes in single seat constituencies and 21 million votes in proportional representation constituencies. |
| 15 Sep. |
Katsuya Okada announced his resignation as President at a General Assembly of DPJ Diet members. |
| 17 Sep. |
DPJ Presidential Election publicly announced. Seiji Maehara elected as President by a General Assembly of DPJ Diet members. There were 2 candidates and election took place by vote. |
| 20 Sep. |
New party executive announced. Yukio Hatoyama appointed as Secretary General. New members of Next Cabinet approved by General Assembly of DPJ Diet members. |
| 31 Oct. |
Constitution Proposal approved by general meeting of DPJ Constitution Committee. |
| 8 Nov. |
'Criteria for Selection of Candidates for the General Election of the House of Representatives’ approved by Standing Officers Council. |
| 22 Nov. |
Organisational reform of party headquarters approved by Standing Officers Council |
| 17 Dec. |
Annual DPJ party convention held in Tokyo |
