The Democratic Party of Japan will hold individual meetings this week with all of its rank-and-file lawmakers over a proposed merger with the Liberal Party, DPJ lawmakers said Saturday.
The two opposition parties set up a panel in March to study the merger, a proposal aimed at creating a larger opposition camp to try to oust the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party, New Komeito and the New Conservative Party.
The DPJ lawmakers said the party has already held broader hearings to sound out lawmakers about their opinions on the merger, but it decided to conduct individual meetings as some lawmakers were hesitant to state their feelings.
The meetings will be conducted by DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada, who plans to meet with all of the approximately 170 rank-and-file DPJ lawmakers individually over six days.
The DPJ is divided over the merger. The DPJ leadership plans to decide on the issue after the Golden Week holiday season in early May, the lawmakers said.
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