After Komeito parted ways with LDP, now eyes CDP for a unified PM candidate.

Now that Komeito has dissolved its coalition with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) is poised to seek Komeito’s support for a possible unified opposition candidate for prime minister. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) appears no longer willing to hold coalition talks with the LDP.

Komeito’s decision to dissolve the ruling coalition “apparently reflects its sense of crisis over the issue of politics and money“, CDP leader Yoshihiko Noda told reporters Friday. Noda pointed out that his party and Komeito share a middle-of-the-road stance, suggesting a willingness to cooperate with the former junior partner in the ruling bloc.

CDP Secretary-General Jun Azumi noted an emerging chance of a change in government. Azumi has been calling on opposition parties to unite behind a single candidate in an upcoming parliamentary vote to choose the next prime minister. He has proposed DPP leader Yuichiro Tamaki as a candidate.

While addressing the media personnel separately, Tamaki said that his party’s discussions about forming a coalition with the LDP are “becoming meaningless. I’m prepared to serve as Prime Minister“, Tamaki said of the CDP’s proposal to nominate him for the post, adding, however, that the CDP should first clarify its national security policy. Tamaki also said on X that his party hopes to work with Komeito on the issue of politics and money.

Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura, leader of Nippon Ishin no Kai, said in a television program that his party will “listen seriously” to the idea of backing Tamaki for prime minister if the CDP and DPP can reach an agreement. When asked by reporters about the possibility of voting for Tamaki in the prime minister election, Japanese Communist Party head Tomoko Tamura also appeared open to the possibility. “We’ll consistently take a position to end the LDP’s rule“, she said.

The LDP on Friday proposed that an extraordinary session of parliament be convened as early as on 20th October, and that votes to pick the next prime minister take place at the start of the session. The proposal, made by LDP Diet affairs chief Hiroshi Kajiyama, was delivered to his CDP counterpart, Ryu Hirofumi at a meeting in parliament.

Ryu said that the matter would be discussed among key members of the Lower House steering committee. In a separate meeting later in the day, the LDP and CDP parliamentary affairs chiefs from the Upper House agreed to consider the proposed schedule.

Kajiyama apologised for a delay in convening the extraordinary Diet session due to the LDP’s presidential election on October 04, and the party’s talks with Komeito about the ruling bloc’s future.

The ruling and opposition parties plan to hold a board meeting of the steering committees of both parliamentary chambers as early as Wednesday to discuss when to convene the extraordinary session and hold votes to elect the next prime minister.

The LDP is pushing to convene the extraordinary session as soon as possible, ahead of a number key diplomatic events. A series of summits related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is set to kick off October 26 in Malaysia, while a Japan-U.S. summit is eyed for October 28. A summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum is scheduled to take place in South Korea from October 31st.

In order for the next prime minister to attend these events, a new government must be launched by October 24th, political experts have reiterated.

Team Maverick