After days of intense haggling between the Liberal Democratic Party and Liberal Party, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi finally launched a coalition government Thursday. But despite his desire for a stable government, he appears to be headed for trouble.
Because the two parties alone fall short of a majority in the Upper House, Obuchi's new Cabinet is expected to face an uphill battle to secure Diet passage of important bills, such as those related to the fiscal 1999 budget and others related to the updated Japan-U.S. defense cooperation guidelines.
The coalition was initially sought to shore up the LDP's minority in the 252-seat Upper House, following its devastating election defeat in July. However, the two parties combined Upper House seats only equal 116, and the LDP will be forced to seek support from other opposition parties to secure passage of important bills in the house.