In an apparent effort to boost their leverage against the ruling coalition, leaders of two opposition parties on Wednesday expressed eagerness to push forward with a plan to form a joint parliamentary group among the Democratic Party of Japan, the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party.
But many sources within the opposition parties admitted that the idea may be unrealistic in the short term, considering the hurdles the parties must clear, such as their different positions on such policy issues as security.
"I myself believe that we should leave the door open for further consideration on whether (the plan) is possible," DPJ leader Yukio Hatoyama told a news conference.