The tripartite ruling alliance on Friday moved back for a third time its self-imposed deadline for a jointly drafted bill to ban lawmakers from obtaining money through the use of influence.
Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, head of the Liberal Democratic Party, Takako Doi, leader of the Social Democratic Party, and Akiko Domoto, chief of New Party Sakigake, agreed to meet on Monday about the issue, sources said.
The chance that the three parties will narrow the gap is slim because the LDP has insisted that money subject to the control of the "law to regulate the fund for political activities" should not be subjected to the newly planned legislation, even if it is acquired through influence-peddling.