LDP, Komeito Punt Agreement on Maintaining Ruling Coalition

Tokyo, Oct. 7 (Jiji Press)–Sanae Takaichi, new leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, and Tetsuo Saito, chief of its Komeito ally, failed to reach an agreement Tuesday on maintaining the two parties’ coalition and decided to continue discussions on the matter. Takaichi, who was elected LDP president Saturday, and Saito held talks in parliament to discuss the two ruling parties’ partnership. Komeito is wary of Takaichi, who is regarded as very conservative. The prolonged discussion raised the likelihood that the start of an extraordinary session of the Diet, Japan’s parliament, and parliamentary votes to elect the country’s new prime minister to succeed Shigeru Ishiba would be delayed from the initially scheduled Oct. 15. Takaichi launched the LDP’s new leadership team earlier on Tuesday. She named former Prime Minister Taro Aso, 85, as LDP vice president, and former General Council Chairman Shunichi Suzuki, 72, as secretary-general. Haruko Arimura, 55, former minister in charge of measures to boost the birthrate, was appointed to head the General Council. Former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi, 50, was given the post of Policy Research Council chairman. Former National Public Safety Commission Chairman Keiji Furuya, 72, was appointed chairman of the LDP’s Election Strategy Committee. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]