Working-level electoral cooperation talks between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Liberal Party broke down Friday, arousing speculation that Liberal Party leader Ichiro Ozawa might again threaten to break away from the coalition before the next general election.
The two parties' talks on possible cooperation in the next elections ended as Hideo Watanabe, deputy chairman of the Liberal Party's election affairs committee, turned down an LDP offer.
The Liberal Party had earlier demanded that the LDP coordinate its candidates with them in 26 single-seat constituencies so that the two parties would not have to compete against each other in those constituencies.
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