New LDP, Komeito Leaders Sign New Coalition Agreement

Tokyo, Sept. 30 (Jiji Press)--The new leaders of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its partner, Komeito, signed a new coalition agreement on Monday.

The agreement, signed by LDP head Shigeru Ishiba and his Komeito counterpart, Keiichi Ishii, during a meeting, calls for uninterrupted political reform efforts following a fund scandal involving LDP lawmakers.

Specifically, the two parties pledged efforts to ensure transparency in policy activity expenses and set up a third-party organization to oversee the use of policy activity funds.

The agreement also included Komeito's proposal for disclosing the use of research, public relations and accommodation allowances paid to lawmakers and returning unused portions to the state coffers.

The agreement calls on the LDP and Komeito to work on reaching a public consensus on amending the Constitution.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]