Japan Press Weekly

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2011 June 1 - 7 [POLITICS]

DPJ and LDP officials call for ‘grand coalition’

Officials of two major parties are increasing their call for a grand coalition to enable a smooth steering of the “twisted” Diet, where the ruling Democratic Party of Japan controls the Lower House and the opposition Liberal Democratic Party the Upper House.

On an NHK debate program on June 5, DPJ Secretary General Okada Katsuya said, “We’d like to create a structure in which different parties can cooperate in a set time frame and agreed themes.”

LDP Secretary General Ishihara Nobuteru responded to Okada by saying that once a firm “relationship of trust” is created, the two parties will be able to establish a framework for cooperation.

“Our policies are almost the same as the DPJ’s,” added Ishihara, indicating a possibility for his party to develop cooperation with the ruling DPJ inside and outside the cabinet after Prime Minister Kan Naoto’s resignation.

On the other hand, Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi said, “Although different parties need to join forces right now to give relief to disaster victims and help bring the ongoing nuclear crisis to settlement, we have different stances on nuclear energy policy.” He stressed the need to have enough Diet deliberations to discuss issues in which different positions can be aired.