Nippon Ishin Says Cutting Diet Seats Must for Coalition

Tokyo, Oct. 17 (Jiji Press)–The leader of Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), Hirofumi Yoshimura, said Friday that cutting the number of lawmakers is a nonnegotiable condition for a possible coalition with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Yoshimura, also Osaka governor, called the reduction in the seats of the Diet, the country’s parliament, an “absolute condition” in a remark made on a television program in the morning. On the size of the reduction, Yoshimura stated that “10 pct is necessary, which means 50 lawmakers in the House of Representatives.” Nippon Ishin will refuse to form a coalition with the LDP if the two parties cannot conclude a written agreement stipulating that the reduction be realized within the year, he also said. The two parties are set to hold the second round of policy talks Friday afternoon. During the first meeting Thursday, Nippon Ishin co-leader Fumitake Fujita asked LDP President Sanae Takaichi to agree to ban political donations from companies and other organizations. But the LDP did not respond immediately. On the donation issue, Yoshimura said in the TV program that the two parties are discussing how to make progress. Nippon Ishin has also identified its “secondary capital” initiative, under which a major city will serve as a backup for Tokyo in times of disaster, and social security reform as absolute conditions for any coalition. With an extraordinary Diet session set to convene on Tuesday, the focus is how far Takaichi can concede to win Nippon Ishin’s support in the Diet vote to pick prime minister. Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, questioned Nippon Ishin’s stance at a press conference Friday, saying that the issue of political funds should be resolved first. Noda and Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito are to meet on Friday afternoon to discuss proposals to tighten rules on political donations from corporate and other organizations, as well as measures against price increases. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]