Two parties merge for Japan's lower house election

OSAKA - Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto, also chief of the Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party) and former Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara, who formed the Sunshine Party earlier this week, announced Saturday in the western Japanese city of Osaka they have finally agreed to merge their parties ahead of next month's lower house election, with Ishihara as the new leader of the Nippon Ishin no Kai.

The announcement came a day after local media reported some key members of the two parties, including the two leaders, had said the merger talks to form a so-called "third force" to challenge Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's Democratic Party of Japan and the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party almost concluded.

On Saturday evening, the two leaders held a press conference in the city, affirming they made the decision out of the belief that the country can survive with a strong political leadership.

Ishihara told reporters that many Japanese politicians currently lack "a sense of crisis" hence the country loses its force to lead the world. He also spoke highly of Hashimoto's strong political leadership which he has shown over the past few months after becoming the mayor.

"We are now forming a 'second force' rather than 'third' to challenge major parties," Ishihara said repeatedly.

During the press conference, Hashimoto announced he would be serving was as "acting chief" of the party, stressing that he would completely support Ishihara's decision to reform the country.

Prior to the press conference, the Nippon Ishin no Kai held its general meeting and formally announced a total of 46 "approved" first-round candidates for the election of the 480-seat House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, local media said Ishihara previously had wanted his Sunrise Party to hook up with Nagoya Mayor Takashi Kawamura's party, Genzei Nippon (Tax Cut Japan), but that alliance was postponed after Hashimoto showed reluctant about his party joining forces with Kawamura's party due to policy differences.

It is reported that as Hashimoto and Ishihara have also displayed policy differences in areas ranging from the consumption tax to nuclear power to constitutional reforms, it may remain uncertain to what extent they can continue to team up in the future.