Difficult to Reach Accord on Cutting Diet Seats Soon: LDP Official

Tokyo, Nov. 9 (Jiji Press)–Shunichi Suzuki, secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said Sunday that it seems difficult to reach an agreement among all parties on a cut in the number of House of Representatives seats by the Dec. 17 end of the ongoing extraordinary Diet session. “I don’t think it’s likely that we can finish talks to gain understanding (for the reduction of Lower House seats) from all parties and groups and finalize the details by the session end,” Suzuki said in a pre-recorded television program. The coalition agreement reached between the LDP and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) calls for submitting a related bill by the session end, with the aim of cutting the number of Lower House seats by 10 pct. However, Suzuki stressed that it is necessary to gain broad-based support for reducing Lower House seats. Noting that the results of a national census will be released next year, he said, “We have to work to deepen understanding (based on the census results).” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]