Japan Biz Leaders Want Political Reforms, Trust Restoration

Tokyo, Oct. 28 (Jiji Press)--Japanese business leaders called for political reforms and efforts to regain trust from citizens Monday after the Liberal Democratic Party-led coalition lost its majority in Sunday's general election.

The outlook for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's administration became unclear after the crushing defeat of the LDP-Komeito pair in the election for the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Japan's parliament.

The ruling parties "should take (the results) sincerely," Masakazu Tokura, chairman of the Japan Business Federation, or Keidanren, said in a statement. "Citizens made a stern judgement on issues related to political funds."

"We strongly hope that policy-oriented politics will be advanced under a stable a political framework to be established with the LDP and Komeito at its center," the statement added.

Takeshi Niinami, chairman of the Japan Association of Corporate Executives, or Keizai Doyukai, requested in a comment that political reforms, including measures to resolve political fund issues, be promoted.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]