LDP's Nukaga to Be Reappointed Japan Lower House Speaker

Tokyo, Nov. 8 (Jiji Press)--Japan's ruling and opposition parties agreed Friday to reappoint Fukushiro Nukaga of the Liberal Democratic Party as speaker of the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of parliament.

At a meeting among parliamentary groups in the Lower House, they also agreed to name Koichiro Genba of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan as vice speaker. Nukaga and Genba are set to take office Monday, when a special parliamentary session is convened.

The two sides decided to have members from the LDP-Komeito ruling coalition chair 10 of the 17 Lower House standing committees and give the opposition side the chairperson posts for the remaining seven panels. This compared with Thursday's agreement between the LDP and the CDP that the ruling bloc would be given the chairpersonships for nine committees and the opposition camp eight.

The opposition side secured the chairpersonships of the Judicial Affairs, Environment, National Security, Fundamental National Policies, Budget, Audit and Administration Oversight, and Discipline committees.

Opposition lawmakers will also chair four Lower House special committees, on political reform, Okinawa and Northern Territories issues, North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals and consumer affairs, as well as the Commission on the Constitution.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]