Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)--The secretaries-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its Japan Innovation Party ally and the opposition Democratic Party for the People signed on Thursday an agreement on a reform of the House of Representatives election system, including a cut of 31 proportional representation seats.

They confirmed that the three parties will accelerate discussions to jointly draw up a related bill and submit it to the current extraordinary session of the Diet, Japan's parliament.

The powerful lower chamber of the Diet, has a total of 465 seats--289 single-seat constituency seats and 176 proportional representation seats.

"Discussions among (the three parties') officials in charge of drafting the bill will start today," former Justice Minister Keisuke Suzuki of the LDP, who was also present at the day's secretary-general meeting, told reporters.

DPFP Secretary-General Kazuya Shinba said: "If we had not stepped in, proportional representation seats might have been reduced by 45 (as the ruling parties had sought). We were able to reach a good compromise."

The secretaries-general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, its Japan Innovation Party ally and the opposition Democratic Party for the People agree Thursday to shed 31 proportional representation seats in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]