Japan’s LDP, smaller Ishin said to have agreed to form coalition govt

Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the smaller Japan Innovation Party, known as Ishin, have broadly agreed to form a coalition government, setting the stage for the country’s first female prime minister, Kyodo news agency reported on Oct 19.

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LDP leader Sanae Takaichi and Mr Hirofumi Yoshimura, head of the smaller right-leaning Ishin, are set to sign an agreement on their alliance on Oct 20, Kyodo said.

Calls to the LDP and Ishin headquarters to seek comment went unanswered outside business hours.

Ishin’s co-head Fumitake Fujita raised expectations for a deal on Oct 17, saying the two parties had made “big progress” in coalition talks.

Ishin lawmakers will vote for Ms Takaichi in an election to choose the prime minister in Parliament on Oct 21, but the party does not plan to send ministers to Ms Takaichi’s Cabinet initially, the news agency said.