The New Conservative Party (保守新党 Hoshu Shinto) is a now-defunct political party in Japan originally led by Hiroshi Kumagai. Kumagai and 3 other disgruntled Democratic Party of Japan members defected in December 2002 and merged with the Conservative Party of Japan (1996) (Hoshuto), forming the New Conservative Party. The party was a conservative reformist party and was very right-wing.

After the November 2003 general election, the New Conservative Party was left with only 4 members in the House of Representatives, down from 9 prior to the election. Among the losers in the last election was the party president, Hiroshi Kumagai.

On November 10, 2003, Prime Minister Koizumi proposed that the NCP merge with the Liberal Democratic Party (Japan). Following the proposal, the Secretary-General of the NCP, Toshihiro Nikai, confirmed the merger. After all, both parties were conservative.

"We humbly received the proposal and, after discussion within the party, we agreed to accept the proposal to achieve the policies we promised to voters," Secretary-General Nikai stated on November 10, 2003.

The party is now completely merged with the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan., and it is now defunct.

See Also:

• Politics of Japan
• Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)
• Japan general election, 2003
• Conservative Party of Japan (1996)