Tokyo
Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japan Innovation Party (Ishin) have reached a broad agreement to form a coalition government, setting the stage for Sanae Takaichi to become the country’s first female prime minister, Kyodo News reported on Sunday.
Takaichi, who leads the conservative LDP, and Hirofumi Yoshimura, head of the smaller right-leaning Ishin, are expected to formally sign the coalition agreement on Monday. The parliamentary vote to choose the new prime minister is scheduled for Tuesday.
Ishin’s co-leader, Fumitake Fujita, said significant progress had been made in talks, with the party set to support Takaichi in the vote. However, Ishin will not initially join the cabinet, making the alliance less cohesive than the LDP’s previous partnership with the Komeito party, which ended earlier this month after 26 years. Analysts say this could affect the government’s stability.
Fujita noted that negotiations were in their final stages and that a formal announcement would be made on Monday, expressing optimism about growing trust between the two parties.
To secure Ishin’s backing, the LDP has reportedly agreed to work on banning corporate donations and exempting food items from Japan’s sales tax—an initiative Ishin wants implemented for two years.
Takaichi, known for her fiscal conservatism and nationalist views, advocates tax cuts and higher public spending to offset inflation. She also supports constitutional reform to recognise Japan’s military and is a frequent visitor to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine.
