Japan Opposition Parties Agree to Create New Political Party

(MENAFN) Japan's opposition forces reached a historic agreement Thursday to establish a unified political party in anticipation of an impending snap election, according to party leadership and local media outlets.

The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) and the smaller Komeito, which terminated its over 25-year alliance with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) last year, committed to consolidating centrist political power under a new entity named the Centrist Reform Party, media reported.

Both organizations will maintain their independent existence parallel to the newly formed coalition, Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito announced.

Saito and CDPJ leader Yoshihiko Noda will serve as co-leaders of the new party.

In the initial phase, exclusively lower house legislators from both parties are projected to join the new formation, while House of Councillors members and local government officials will retain their original party affiliations, media reported, citing sources.

Saito confirmed Komeito will not nominate candidates in lower house constituencies.

The smaller opposition entity, Komeito, receives backing from Japan's largest lay Buddhist organization, Soka Gakkai, which has historically provided critical campaign infrastructure to the LDP.

The CDPJ currently controls 148 seats in the lower house, while Komeito possesses 24, yielding a combined parliamentary strength of 172 seats.

The LDP and its junior coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), command 233 seats in the 465-member lower house.

In a separate development, Hirofumi Yoshimura, leader of the JIP, stated Wednesday that Japan's first female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is anticipated to declare snap elections on Monday.

A party or coalition requires a minimum of 233 seats in the 465-member lower house of Japan's bicameral parliament to elect a prime minister.

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