JCP-LDP discuss on immediate Diet business

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi on April 9 expressed adamant opposition to the Liberal Democratic Party plan to hold its election to choose an LDP leader by leaving aside important questions that need to be dealt with by the parliament without delay.

Ichida made this statement when he met Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Makoto Koga to discuss problems related to parliamentary steering. The meeting was requested by the LDP following the opposition parties' call for holding a meeting between the LDP and the opposition parties. The JCP-LDP meeting was attended by JCP Diet Policy Committee Chair Kokuta Keiji and LDP Diet Policy Committee chair Oshima Tadamori.

LDP Secretary General Koga Makoto, explaining the LDP presidential election scheduled for April 24, said, "We are sorry for causing inconveniences by creating a political vacuum due to the LDP's internal politics."

In response, JCP Ichida pointed out that such an election is unprecedented, except in the case of the death of a prime minister. Ichida demanded that important bills be discussed after a new prime minister is appointed because Diet discussion with the prime minister that formally announced his resignation may be useless. (end)