Executives of Japan’s main governing Liberal Democratic Party and the opposition Democratic Party for the People have agreed to discussions on economic measures and other issues on a policy-by-policy basis.
LDP Secretary-General Moriyama Hiroshi and DPFP counterpart Shimba Kazuya held talks on Thursday morning. The parties’ diet affairs chiefs also attended.
The talks come after the LDP and its junior coalition partner, Komeito, failed to secure a majority in Sunday’s Lower House election.
Moriyama asked for the DPFP’s cooperation in compiling a supplementary budget bill for the current fiscal year, and a budget plan for the fiscal year starting in April, as well as in Diet deliberations.
Shimba said his party will respond on a policy-by-policy basis.
The party executives also confirmed that Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, who heads the LDP, and DPFP leader Tamaki Yuichiro, will hold talks before the special Diet session expected to be convened on November 11.
Shimba told the LDP officials his party will back Tamaki in the Diet vote to choose the next prime minister, including in a runoff.
After the meeting, Moriyama told reporters an agreement had been reached to hold discussions on the basis of specific issues, including the supplementary budget and the tax system.
Moriyama said the DPFP had agreed to a request for a meeting between the leaders, and that he wants to arrange a date quickly.
He said the LDP will also ask other opposition parties for leaders’ talks, including the Japan Innovation Party and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.
Shimba told reporters that if the LDP and other parties want cooperation in implementing policies, his party will respond on an issue-by-issue basis.
He said the DPFP will maintain an equal distance from other parties in working to realize policies, but that the ruling parties are the ones with the ability to implement the policies.
Shimba said his party will make constructive proposals to realize its goals of increasing workers’ take-home-pay, reducing taxes, and reviewing outdated tax systems, and seek the understanding of other parties.