Japan CDP's Head Rejects Grand Coalition with LDP

Ise, Mie Pref., Jan. 4 (Jiji Press)--Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, on Saturday rejected the idea of forming a grand coalition with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

"We want to focus on uniting the power of opposition parties to change the government," Noda told a news conference in Ise, Mie Prefecture, central Japan.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the LDP's president, said in a radio program broadcast Wednesday, "There should be an option to form a grand coalition."

Noda said, "A grand coalition is an option conceivable when there is a pandemic or a major crisis. We don't think about it in ordinary times."

"We'll discuss with the ruling bloc to implement policies, but we'll prepare for the House of Councillors election as an opposition party," Seiji Maehara, co-leader of opposition Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), told a news conference also in Ise. The Upper House election is set to take place in summer.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]