The Yomiuri Shimbun reported on its front page that the leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, Asako Kishida, and the representative of the Japan Innovation Party, Yoshimura (Governor of Osaka Prefecture), held a leaders' meeting in the Diet on the 20th and signed an agreement to form a coalition government. Asako Kishida is expected to be nominated as the 104th Prime Minister at the special session of the Diet on the 21st. The new cabinet will take office after the prime minister's appointment ceremony and the ministerial certification ceremony at the Imperial Palace.
After the meeting, the two held a joint press conference and announced a coalition agreement covering 12 fields. Mr. Kishida emphasized, "Stable politics are important; this is a very big step," while Mr. Yoshimura responded, "We will face difficulties together." Mr. Fumitaka Fujita, co-representative of the Innovation Party, Vice Chairman Masayoshi Koizumi of the LDP, and the secretaries-general of both parties also attended the leaders' meeting.
In the agreement, it is clearly stated that "we will submit a legislative bill in the special session of the Diet and strive for its passage" to reduce the number of House of Representatives members (465 people) by 10%. The Innovation Party's signature policy of the "second capital concept," which would replace the functions of the capital area in case of disasters, states, "we will establish a consultation body during the special session of the Diet and pass a bill at the regular session next year." It also includes introducing submarines that use next-generation power and considering nuclear submarines, and he said he will "promote the policy."
Regarding the significant differences between the two parties on the ban on donations from companies and groups, both sides agreed to reach a conclusion during Mr. Kishida's tenure as Prime Minister until September 2027 and to establish a consultation body during the special session of the Diet. The decision to reduce the food consumption tax rate to 0% is "we will consider legislation to exclude it within two years." The LDP will not provide the cash benefits of 20,000 yen per citizen that were promised in the previous Upper House election.
Before the leaders' meeting, the Innovation Party convened a plenary session of both houses of the Diet, deciding to vote for Asako Kishida in the prime minister nomination election to choose the successor to Ishiba. Kishida is expected to be nominated as the first female prime minister. Mr. Keiro Kitagami from the "Reform Association" (3 people) and the "Volunteer Association" also plan to vote for Kishida. The prime minister nomination election, which prioritizes the House of Representatives, is expected to exceed the majority (233 people) in the first round of voting.
Mr. Kishida will unveil the cabinet on the evening of the 21st. The Innovation Party joined the framework of the ruling party in managing the Diet, but temporarily became a "non-cabinet cooperation" supporting the coalition government without sending cabinet ministers. Kishida, who previously requested internal cooperation from the Innovation Party, is moving towards appointing Takahiro Endo, the head of the Innovation Party's committee on the Diet, as the prime minister's assistant.
Both sides also agreed to advance the revision of three security-related documents formulated in 2022. Kishida instructed to consider continuing after becoming prime minister and is coordinating to convey the direction to US President Trump, who is scheduled to visit Japan on the 27th. The National Security Strategy includes increasing security-related spending, including defense expenditures, to 2% of GDP in fiscal year 27, and it seems to be considering an increase.
The 219th Special Session of the Japanese Diet will convene on the 21st. The LDP has set the session period to end on December 17, 58 days later. If Governor Kishida is elected as the new prime minister, he is proposing to the opposition parties to deliver a speech on the 24th of this month to express his beliefs.
At the end of this month, diplomatic schedules such as a summit with US President Trump are being arranged, and questioning by representatives of the ruling and opposition parties is expected to take place after November 4. The LDP is coordinating to submit the supplementary budget bill for this fiscal year in early December.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1846545580383244/
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