Japan Ruling Bloc, DPFP Agree to Hold Policy Talks

Tokyo, Feb. 9 (Jiji Press)--Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party-Komeito coalition and the Democratic Party for the People agreed Thursday to hold policy talks on wage increases and child-rearing support.

The three parties' secretaries-general reached the agreement at their meeting on the day. The parties are expected to hold working-level talks as early as next week.

The ruling bloc apparently hopes to win the DPFP's support for the government's fiscal 2023 budget bill by involving it in discussions on key policies.

At the day's meeting, the LDP accepted the DPFP's request for policy talks. "We welcome the fact that we are in agreement (with the DPFP) in a broad sense," the LDP's Toshimitsu Motegi told reporters after the meeting.

At a meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday, DPFP chief Yuichiro Tamaki called for helping companies secure the funds to raise wages through measures such as lowering electricity charges.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]