Opposition CDP Quits 3-Way Merger Plan with CRA, Komeito

Tokyo, Aug. 28 (Jiji Press)--The opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan informed the Centrist Reform Alliance and Komeito on Friday that it will not take part in a proposed merger with the two other opposition parties.

The three parties had tried to form a "big bloc" to facilitate a change of government, but the merger plan has been brought to naught. Komeito, which called for an early merger, has grown increasingly distrustful of the CDP.

"As a group, we won't join the CRA," CDP leader Shunichi Mizuoka told his counterparts from the CRA and Komeito, Junya Ogawa and Toshiko Takeya, at a meeting in the Diet, the country's parliament.

Meanwhile, Mizuoka expressed his desire to discuss cooperation with the two parties in the areas of parliamentary affairs, policies and elections. He also proposed creating a unified group with Komeito in the Senate, recently renamed from the House of Councillors, and cooperating in unified local elections next spring.

"We hope to gather political forces aiming for a change of government again by the end of next year's ordinary Diet session," he said.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]