CRA, CDP, Komeito to Reach Conclusion at End-Aug. on Integration

Tokyo, July 30 (Jiji Press)–Three Japanese opposition parties–the Centrist Reform Alliance, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito–will aim to reach a conclusion at the end of August over their proposed integration, it was learned Thursday. A draft interim plan on the matter says that a scheme in which CDP and Komeito lawmakers join the CRA will be more efficient than creating a new party in terms of procedural issues. The parties will hold a meeting of their leaders Friday. The draft says that the three parties will cooperate as much as possible by deeply sharing the understanding for the need to bring together various political forces, including liberals and moderate conservatives. The CRA, the CDP and Komeito should establish a new system to confront the administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the draft says. It also says that the option for the three parties to form a united front in the Diet, the country’s parliament, while continuing to exist as separate entities will be a stopgap measure until the planned integration. On policy, the draft calls for reaffirming the CRA’s basic platform and pledges to expand measures related to workers, primary industries and human rights. The three parties are expected to continue discussions on issues such as national security and the restart of nuclear power reactors, for which they have differing views. On potential cooperation in national elections, the draft says that the three will hold sincere discussions to find some sort of direction while respecting each party’s awareness of issues and election cultures. On Thursday, CRA leader Junya Ogawa held talks with Tomoko Yoshino, president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo, a major supporter of the CDP. “We’ll hold vigorous discussions on how to create a stronger structure,” Ogawa said of the three-party talks on integration. Yoshino voiced her hopes that the three parties will work on the matter while valuing the voices of a wide range of people, such as unionized workers. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]