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Japan's Koizumi Confirms Alliance With Coalition Partners
Junichiro Koizumi, the newly elected president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), on Wednesday confirmed LDP's alliance with two coalition partners in preparation for taking Japan's top government post on Thursday.
Koizumi and the two leaders of the coalition partners, New Komeito leader Takenori Kanzaki and New Conservative Party (NCP) head Chikage Ogi, signed a policy agreement Wednesday evening, paving the way for Koizumi to be elected as the nation's premier by the Diet on Thursday afternoon.
The LDP does not have a simple majority in both houses of the Diet and so needs its allies' support to win the vote.
In the policy agreement, the parties agreed to implement the government's package of emergency economic measures to boost the nation's sagging economy and promote structural reforms in areas ranging from finances to social security.
They also noted Koizumi's campaign promise to consider direct election for prime ministers -- a proposal opposed by many veteran LDP politicians, who say it would only help opportunists with strong public appeal take the post.
Earlier in the day, Koizumi completed the lineup for the party' s top posts. Former LDP policy chief Taku Yamasaki, a longtime ally of Koizumi, was appointed as secretary general, the No.2 post in the party.
Economics Minister Taro Aso and former International Trade and Industry Minister Mitsuo Horiuchi were appointed as chairman of the party's Policy Research Council and head of the decision- making General Council, respectively.
While the LDP posts were filled, the candidates for many of the cabinet posts were still unclear.
In Wednesday's meeting, Koizumi asked the two coalition parties to take two posts in his new cabinet, but did not say which posts he was offering, New Komeito's Kanzaki said.
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