INTERVIEW: Komeito to Focus on Stable Govt in PM Election

Tokyo, Oct. 16 (Jiji Press)–Tetsuo Saito, leader of Komeito, which has announced its withdrawal from Japan’s ruling bloc, said Wednesday that his party will focus on whether a stable government can be formed in an expected parliamentary runoff vote to elect the country’s next prime minister. “We would like to make a decision through discussions within the party, taking into account the realization of our policies as one of the major factors,” he said in an interview with Jiji Press. While referring to the possibility of opposition parties uniting to form a coalition government, Saito said that his party would focus on “whether people with differing ideologies and policies can establish a stable government.” Saito noted that the main reason behind Komeito’s decision to leave the Liberal Democratic Party-led ruling bloc is the LDP’s “stance on the issue of politics and money.” “We called for efforts to clarify the whole picture (of the LDP’s political funds scandal) and promote political reform to regain public trust, but the LDP showed no signs (of doing so),” Saito said. He also said that Komeito would have remained in the ruling coalition if the administration of current Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was to continue. Earlier this month, Sanae Takaichi was elected as the LDP’s new leader to succeed Ishiba. Currently, the Democratic Party for the People claims that an agreement on basic policies is required to form a coalition. Saito agreed to this view, saying that sharing policies and principles is necessary. When asked how Komeito will realize its policies now that it is in the opposition camp, Saito said: “Compromises would be necessary for a small party like Komeito to achieve its goals. We may support a supplementary budget bill to advance our agenda.” Saito said he has not decided whether he will run in his current constituency in the next House of Representatives election if the LDP fields a candidate in the constituency. “I will make a decision after consulting with my supporters,” he said. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]