LDP Seeking Regular Policy Talks with Nippon Ishin

Tokyo, Oct. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is working to create a framework for policy coordination with its new coalition partner, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), including regular talks between their senior officials, following the launch of the administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday. Some in the LDP are concerned about the extent to which Nippon Ishin will fulfill its responsibilities as a ruling party in light of the fact that it is cooperating with the LDP only from outside the cabinet without sending any ministers. On Thursday, LDP Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki met with his Nippon Ishin counterpart, Hiroshi Nakatsuka, and proposed that the two parties’ secretaries-general and Diet affairs chiefs meet every week while the parliament is in session. Nakatsuka responded by saying that his party will positively consider the proposal. The LDP had a similar system with its former coalition partner, Komeito, which ended its partnership with the LDP earlier this month, after Takaichi was elected president of the party Oct. 4. If Nippon Ishin accepts the proposal, its Diet affairs chief, Takashi Endo, will join the framework, and it will be an important venue for discussions for decision-making because Endo also serves as special adviser to the new prime minister. Another idea is to launch a liaison meeting between the government and the ruling camp, which brings together the prime minister and senior members of the ruling parties. The LDP and Komeito had the same mechanism when they were coalition partners. For policy decisions, the LDP and Komeito had combined intraparty proceedings and interparty coordination. Specifically, government-sponsored bills, including draft state budgets, were examined by relevant LDP divisions before their submissions to the Diet. Then, the two parties’ policy chiefs held discussions to reach a consensus, and the bills were adopted by the cabinet later. Once bills were submitted to the Diet, the LDP and Komeito united their forces to ensure their enactments, with member lawmakers of the two parties obliged to vote for the bills. Similarly, the LDP wants Nippon Ishin to share responsibility as a ruling coalition member by reviewing government bills in advance. Still, the Takaichi cabinet has no ministers from Nippon Ishin. An LDP official expressed concern, saying, “Nippon Ishin may not cooperate when it comes to unpopular policies.” Nippon Ishin is slated to kick off discussions on issues related to policy coordination with the LDP. Like the LDP, Nippon Ishin has intraparty divisions, which may be used as venues for debates on government bills. But Nippon Ishin leader Hirofumi Yoshimura also serves as governor of the western prefecture of Osaka, and the party’s headquarters is located in the city of Osaka, the prefecture’s capital. In case Nippon Ishin lawmakers based in Tokyo, where the Diet and other important political infrastructure are located, and Osaka-based party officials have conflicting views, reaching a consensus may take time. An LDP-Nippon Ishin agreement on the establishment of a coalition government includes plans to submit in fiscal 2026 a bill to revise the Constitution to add an emergency clause to the supreme law and move up the planned revision of the government’s three key security-related documents. Going forward, multiple forums of discussion will likely be in action at the same time. With Nippon Ishin having fewer than 20 pct as many lawmakers as the LDP, however, a senior Nippon Ishin policy official said, “It’s almost unmanageable.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]