Japan's LDP Wants Lower House Panel to Discuss Seat Cut

Tokyo, April 16 (Jiji Press)--Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party proposed Thursday that a House of Representatives council on the electoral system include a plan to reduce the number of seats in the lower chamber of parliament in future discussions.

The LDP's Keisuke Suzuki, who chairs the council, made the proposal at the panel's first meeting since February's election for the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, as the ruling coalition aims to cut the number of Lower House seats by 10 pct.

Suzuki also said that the council should aim to consolidate opinions by next month.

At the meeting, the LDP's Junji Hasegawa said that the ruling bloc secured a landslide victory in the February election by pledging to reduce the number of Lower House seats.

Ryuna Kanemura, acting secretary-general of the Japan Innovation Party, the coalition partner of the LDP, said, "It's logical to discuss (a seat cut plan) at the council."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]