TOKYO, Oct 14 — Japan’s main opposition parties are set to hold crucial talks on Tuesday in an effort to agree on a joint candidate for prime minister and unseat the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
TOKYO, Oct 14 — Japan’s main opposition parties are set to hold crucial talks on Tuesday in an effort to agree on a joint candidate for prime minister and unseat the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
The discussions follow the collapse of the ruling coalition last week, which has jeopardised Sanae Takaichi’s chances of becoming Japan’s first female prime minister.
The political deadlock comes after junior coalition partner Komeito ended its 26-year alliance with the LDP, leaving the government without a majority and throwing the country into uncertainty.
If the opposition parties unite, they could command enough votes to nominate their own prime minister and block Takaichi, who was recently elected LDP president but still requires parliamentary approval to assume office.
Yuichiro Tamaki, president of the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) — Japan’s third-largest opposition party — said secretaries-general from three key opposition groups would meet on Tuesday evening to explore forming a united front.
However, Tamaki cautioned that major policy differences remain, particularly on national defence and nuclear energy.
“If we were to form a coalition government, we must first align on fundamental policies,” he said at a press conference. “Without that alignment, the administration would be unstable.”
Tamaki, who last week signalled his willingness to serve as prime minister, said the DPP’s secretary-general will also meet representatives from the LDP and its former partner Komeito.
The LDP elected Takaichi as its new leader earlier this month, seemingly positioning her to become prime minister. But Komeito’s withdrawal — amid a slush fund scandal involving the LDP — has thrown Japan into a fresh political crisis.
While the LDP still controls more than 40 per cent of the 465-seat lower house, it no longer has the majority needed to appoint a prime minister on its own.
The largest opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), has expressed readiness to support either Tamaki or another opposition leader as prime minister to oust the LDP from power.
CDP leader Yoshihiko Noda described the moment as “a once-in-a-decade opportunity for a change of government.” — AFP
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