Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner Japan Innovation Party agreed to cut the House of Representatives (lower house) seats by more than 9%.
According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on the 22nd, the two parties agreed at a working-level meeting on the 21st to reduce the number of lower house seats from 465 by at least 45.
They plan to submit and pass the relevant bill during the current extraordinary Diet session, which ends on Feb. 17. The specific plan will be finalized within one year after the law takes effect through ruling and opposition party consultations.
The Japan Innovation Party argues that if no conclusion is reached within the deadline, the bill must explicitly state that 50 proportional representation seats will be cut. However, the Yomiuri reported that there is strong caution within the LDP about this. If only proportional seats are reduced, smaller opposition parties with fewer seats and weaker competitiveness of constituency candidates are expected to take a major hit.
Fujita Fumitake, co-leader of the Japan Innovation Party, said he asked Tamaki Yuichiro, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, for cooperation the previous day and received a positive response. The Yomiuri analyzed, "The opposition is highly wary of slashing only proportional representation seats," and added, "It is unclear whether understanding of the ruling party's plan will spread."
The LDP and the Japan Innovation Party agreed on Jan. 20 to form a coalition government and cut the lower house by 10%. Reducing the lower house seats is an issue the Japan Innovation Party has emphasized must be pursued for political reform.