Junichiro Koizumi, new president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, inked a policy deal with his coalition partners on Wednesday, securing his ticket to become Japan's new prime minister.
Koizumi agreed with New Komeito leader Takenori Kanzaki and New Conservative Party chief Chikage Ogi to take legislative steps during the current Diet session to implement the emergency economic package adopted by the government of his predecessor, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, on April 6.
The policy agreement included a "shared view" that economic recovery cannot be achieved without structural reform, a point which Koizumi stressed in his campaign speeches.