Alliance accord between DP, Party of Hope collapses after 2 days

January 18, 2018

Tokyo- An accord to form a parliamentary coalition between the Democratic Party and the Party of Hope was effectively dissolved on Wednesday, only two days after senior members of the two Japanese opposition parties reached the deal.

Many DP lawmakers raised objections to the coalition accord at a party meeting on Wednesday morning, reflecting differences between the two parties' polices on national security and constitutional amendment.

The DP leadership therefore abandoned plans to gain approval for the deal at the day's meeting. "The leadership's proposal (to form a coalition with the Party of Hope) was effectively rejected," former Finance Minister Jun Azumi told reporters following the meeting.

DP chief Kohei Otsuka later informed Party of Hope leader Yuichiro Tamaki of the meeting's result on the phone.

"It's regrettable as we came close" to forming the alliance, Otsuka told reporters, while expressing his intention to continue seeking a three-way tie-up of the two parties plus the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

The CDPJ, however, has refused to join hands with the two parties.

The Party of Hope and the CDPJ were launched by DP defectors and others ahead of the House of Representatives election last October.

At a meeting of Party of Hope lawmakers Wednesday afternoon, Tamaki said the party leadership plans to end coalition talks now, ahead of the start of an ordinary session of parliament on Monday. The plan was endorsed by those at the meeting.

The Party of Hope will also avoid a proposed split of the party into groups backing and opposing the alliance talks. Jiji Press