Tokyo, Oct. 28 (Jiji Press)--The Japanese opposition Democratic Party for the People on Wednesday approved the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's revised proposal that includes a cut of 31 proportional representation seats in the House of Representatives.

The DPFP had drawn up its own plan to cut 19 proportional representation seats in the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament, but accepted the LDP proposal because it includes the introduction of a system allowing two or more parties to compile a joint list of proportional representation candidates based on the opposition party's proposal.

The Japan Innovation Party, the LDP's coalition partner, which had demanded a cut of 45 proportional representation seats, held a meeting of executives the same day and decided to accept the LDP proposal.

"Most of our opinions, except the number of seats (to be cut), were adopted (into the LDP proposal)," DPFP acting leader Motohisa Furukawa told a news conference, referring to the unified candidate list system.

Later on Wednesday, working-level officials from nine ruling and opposition parties held a meeting on election system reform for the Lower House, expressing their approval or disapproval of the revised LDP proposal.

Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Japanese opposition Democratic Party for the People
Motohisa Furukawa, acting leader of the Democratic Party for the People, speaks at a meeting of the Japanese opposition party on Wednesday.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]