Japan CDP Seeks Talks with 2 Other Opposition Heads

Tokyo, Oct. 12 (Jiji Press)–Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leader Yoshihiko Noda on Sunday asked for a meeting with the heads of two other major opposition parties in order to oust the Liberal Democratic Party from power. “If we combine (seats) with the Democratic Party for the People and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), we’ll exceed the LDP,” Noda told reporters in Yokohama, near Tokyo. “I want to hold discussions to aim for that.” Komeito on Friday ditched its 26-year-old coalition with the LDP, which had just elected new President Sanae Takaichi. The Diet, the country’s parliament, will convene for an extraordinary session as early as Oct. 20 to pick the successor to outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba of the LDP. The LDP has 196 seats in the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber, and Komeito 24 seats. Meanwhile, a total of 210 seats are held by the CDP, Nippon Ishin and the DPFP. If the three put up a unified candidate in the parliamentary election for prime minister, they can defeat the LDP’s planned candidate, Takaichi. Speaking in a Fuji Television Network Inc. program Sunday, the CDP’s Noda reiterated his call for a unified opposition candidate for prime minister. Noda said that DPFP leader Yuichiro Tamaki and Nippon Ishin co-leader Fumitake Fujita are strong options for a unified candidate. To Tamaki, he offered to be flexible over differences between the CDP and the DPFP while asking him to show some flexibility. Tamaki, speaking to reporters in Nanao, Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan, remained skeptical about cooperating with the CDP. He demanded an agreement on national security and nuclear energy policies. Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito, for his part, said that his party will not vote for an opposition candidate for prime minister fielded by other parties in the parliamentary election. “It’s my personal opinion, but I cannot think of writing the name of such an opposition member,” Saito said in a television program of public broadcaster NHK, or Japan Broadcasting Corp. In the Diet election, Komeito plans to vote for Saito in the first round. Asked about a potential runoff, Saito said, “We’ll make a decision after careful discussions within the party based on the political situation at that time.” As the reason for its breakup with the LDP, Komeito cited the former partner’s insufficient response to its calls for fully elucidating the LDP’s political fund scandal and tightening regulations on political donations by companies and other organizations. Saito said that if the LDP accepts Komeito’s requests, “it will not refuse” talks on whether to revive the coalition. However, he expressed skepticism, stating, “I can’t easily say we’ll go back.” Saito also appeared on the Fuji TV program and indicated his readiness to cooperate with the CDP and other opposition parties in national elections. “If they understand us and agree to realize policies together, of course it is possible” to cooperate with them, he said. Saito also expressed his wish to work out an opposition proposal to revise the political funds control law, based on his party’s idea of restricting political donations by companies and other organizations. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]