Red rice group

The red rice group (Miranian: 赤飯会 Sekihan-kai) was a humorous nickname for leading members of the Conservative National Party during the neondai, who went on to have major roles in the Ran Tsukuda government.

The group members were the following:

• 

  Ran Tsukuda
  future Prime Minister of Akashi

• 

  Ayako Morisaki
  future Minister of Finance

• 

  Noriko Morisaki
  future Minister of Labour

• 

  Tomoe Morisaki
  future Minister of Cooperatives

• 

  Keiko Nakayama
  future Minister of Public Welfare and President of Akashi

• 

  Michiko Kawai, future Minister of Economy and Planning

• 

  Kaori Shimamori, future Minister of Transport, Infrastructure, and Communications

• 

  Runa Edamura
  future Minister of Health

The term was first coined in 1981, after a photograph first published in Mainichi Shinbun. Taken shortly after Ran's election as leader of the CNP, it showed her and her closest allies in Ran's office eating red bean rice in celebration of her victory. In the context of the bitter "kibi-yuru war", the photograph became an iconic image in Akashian politics. The group's all-female membership and sharp-dressed image anticipated the sanyoi qualities Ran sought to impose on the CNP.

The group's tight-knit character and closeness to Ran earned them a reputation as "Ran's gatekeepers", and comparisons to the influence of the Aku group in Yurika Ehara's inner circle. The "red" in the epithet also found use as a pun referring to their progressive conservatism and conservative socialism — Keiko was famous as one of the most left-wing members of the cabinet, and embraced her reputation as "red Keiko" with relish.

The group's senior role in the Ran Tsukuda government after the 1982 general election caused some tensions within the light blue bloc. Older centre-right parties resented so many major cabinet posts taken by the CNP (especially the crucial economy and finance portfolios), leaving them with only 10 portfolios to divide among themselves. The tensions led to Ran's decision to form a minority single-party government after winning re-election in 1986.

Kyō! took a harsh view of the bloc tensions, writing that "the red rice group weren't just excellent ministers, they were also unabashedly big personalities that captured Akashians' affection", and accused the other centre-right parties of "petty jealousy" at their lack of politicians who could match the stature of "red Keiko", "shameless Runa", or "lady Noriko".

The group fiercely opposed the neoliberal conspiracy, and followed Ran's lead to become founding members of the Moderate People's Party. Keiko would later serve as President of Akashi from 2010 to 2020.