Political negotiations continue in Japan to establish new government

ANKARA

Political wrangling continues in Japan to form a new government following last month’s snap elections as Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru instructed his party to hold negotiations with the opposition Democratic Party for the People.

Ishiba, who is also president of the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), made the remark at a meeting of the party’s executives on Tuesday, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported.

He hopes to be named prime minister at the newly elected Parliament’s special session, which will open next Monday to elect the country’s new leader.

Ishiba stated he will meet Democratic Party for the People leader Tamaki Yuichiro if “conditions are right.”

In a related development, the leaders of two major opposition parties have agreed to work together to speed up political reforms.

Noda Yoshihiko, president of the largest opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), met his counterpart from the Democratic Party for the People, Tamaki Yuichiro, on Tuesday.

The two sides agreed to work together to reveal “facts about the political fund scandal involving the LDP and to revise the political fund control law, including abolishing political activity funds, within this year.”

In the 465-member lower house of Parliament, the LDP is down to 191 seats from 256, while Komeito lost eight seats, including that of its chief Keiichi Ishii, and fell to 24.

LDP and Komeito together are short 18 seats for a simple majority of 233 and do not meet the mark even with the support of six independents.

The CDPJ made significant gains in the elections, boosting its seats to 148 from 98.

Yoshihiko Noda, the CDPJ chief, has reached out to other parties to support his bid to become prime minister when the Parliament, locally known as the Diet, meets on Nov. 11.

Both LDP and CDPJ have turned to the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) and Japan Innovation Party (Ishin) for support.

DPFP increased its parliamentary seats from seven to 21, while Ishin dropped a few from 43 to 38.