The leaders of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Japanese Communist Party on Monday reaffirmed the need for cooperation in the next House of Representatives election.
CDP leader Kenta Izumi and JCP leader Tomoko Tamura had a lunch meeting at the former's suggestion, which was also attended by CDP Secretary-General Katsuya Okada and Akira Koike, head of the JCP's secretariat.
Izumi and Tamura agreed that the next Lower House election will be an important opportunity to topple the Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito ruling coalition, according to sources familiar with the meeting.
Izumi explained the idea of a mission-oriented Cabinet in which current opposition parties would work together on a policy-by-policy basis. He told the JCP side that his party would primarily seek to win power on its own, but that it would also accept a coalition government with other parties including the Democratic Party for the People (DPP).
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Izumi said, "We assume that the JCP would not join a CDP-led government."
Meanwhile, Tamura told Izumi that cooperation in the next general election should be based on equality and mutual respect.
Since late July, Izumi has held talks with Nobuyuki Baba, leader of Nippon Ishin no Kai, DPP leader Yuichiro Tamaki and Social Democratic Party head Mizuho Fukushima.