Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, is likely to be the prime minister candidate of the Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA), the new party jointly formed by the CDP and Komeito.
Noda ¡°has served as prime minister and implemented major policies,¡± Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito told a television program Friday.
¡°It¡¯s the norm of constitutional politics¡± for Noda to become the new party¡¯s candidate for prime minister, said Saito, whose party left the ruling bloc in October.
Noda said during the same TV program that he hopes to have further discussions on the matter. Saito and Noda are co-leaders of the new party.
A prime ministerial election is held during a special session of parliament, within 30 days of a Lower House election.
Reeling from a lackluster performance in July¡¯s Upper House election, Noda said the CDP had eyed the tie-up since Komeito¡¯s departure from the ruling bloc.
¡°We¡¯ve been discussing it with each other behind the scenes,¡± Noda said at a party meeting Thursday. ¡°It¡¯s not something that happened overnight.¡±
The CRA is now hoping that it will be able to attract moderate voters who are reluctant to vote for the conservatism of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi¡¯s Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, which is also known as Nippon Ishin no Kai.
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