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Japan’s Ishin opposition party held an executive meeting on Sunday to consider the possibility of joining forces with the ruling party, a decision that could determine the country’s next prime minister.
Ishin co-leader Fumitake Fujita told reporters after the meeting that the reformist, right-wing party is working out the details of a possible agreement with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party for a possible policy alliance by Monday. Fujita said that the final decision would be made by him and co-leader Hirofumi Yoshimura.
Local media reported that Ishin, as the Japan Innovation Party is known, would likely form a coalition with the LDP on the prime ministerial vote – a move that would boost the chances of the LDP’s Sanae Takachi becoming the country’s first female leader.
According to the Kyodo news agency, the options Ishin is considering include cooperation outside the cabinet – an arrangement in which an opposition party supports a minority government without joining the cabinet or forming a formal coalition. TV Asahi said Ishin and the LDP are set to sign a coalition agreement on Monday.
Ishin and the LDP together have 231 seats in the powerful lower house of parliament. Although he is still two seats short of a majority, the rest of the opposition is unlikely to unite around an alternative candidate, making Takaichi almost certain to win the vote.
TV Asahi quoted an unnamed person as saying the LDP is prepared to accept Ishin’s demand for a 10% reduction in the number of legislative seats, a major hurdle for a deal.
With assistance from Alastair Gale, Hidenori Yamanaka and Kazu Hirano.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without any modifications to the text.
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