On September 9, the DPJ, the Social Democratic Party and the People’s New Party formally agreed to establish a 3-party coalition government, and the leaders of the three parties, Yukio Hatoyama of the DPJ, Mizuho Fukushima of the SDP and Shizuka Kamei of the PNP, each signed the “Agreement for a Three-Party Coalition Government”.
Following this, the three party leaders held a press conference in which they stressed the significance of forming a new administration that would work on behalf of each one of the Japanese people.
Hatoyama stressed that the new government was one that would work on behalf of the people, commenting, “Establishing a coalition government that will guide the lives of the people in the right direction means that in a sense we are about to make a new departure.” He added, “We would like to respond to the expectations of the Japanese people.”
With regard to policy consultations between the three parties, Hatoyama said that “various policy consultations between the parties will be conducted by party leadership level discussions in a basic policy committee within the cabinet.”
In response to a reporter’s question regarding the line-up of the new cabinet, Hatoyama said, “I hope to decide this as soon as possible in conjunction with discussions between the three parties.”
|