Yoshitada Konoike, former state minister for disaster management who voted against the postal privatization bills in August, on Friday told the Liberal Democratic Party, to which he belongs, that he would support resubmission of the bills if the LDP-New Komeito coalition wins a majority in Sunday's election.
"Public opinion is important," Konoike told reporters Friday morning, indicating that if the LDP and its ally New Komeito win a majority in the House of Representatives election, he would see it as the public's support for the privatization of Japan Post.
Konoike's change of heart might influence other rebels to support Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's privatization plan. He played a leading role in the group of 30 LDP lawmakers who caused the postal bills to be defeated by either voting against them or not voting at all on Aug. 8 in the House of Councilors.