Sunrise Party
In October 2012, when Ishihara stepped down as Tokyo governor and announced that he would set up a new national political party, it was expected that he would form it with members of the Sunrise party. When announced by co-leaders Ishihara and Hiranuma in mid-November, 2012, The Sunrise Party incorporated all five members of the SPJ. The SP looked to form a coalition with other small parties including Osaka Mayor Tōru Hashimoto's Japan Restoration Party for possibly impending elections. On 13 November, Ishihara stated that: "Taiyō no Tō is only a part of the process. We will definitely form a coalition before the [lower house] election. I don't mind if [our party] is absorbed [into the alliance] and vanishes".