Osaka Mayor and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party) head Toru Hashimoto indicated Friday evening that a merger with former Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara's Taiyo no To (The Sunrise Party) is almost a done deal.

Hashimoto also said it is his understanding that Genzei Nippon (Tax Reduction Japan), a minor party headed by Nagoya Mayor Takashi Kawamura, will not join the merger of the two parties. Earlier Ishihara and Kawamura had announced plans to merge their parties.

"(I) have reached an agreement with party coleader Ishihara," Hashimoto said after meeting with Ishihara at a Tokyo hotel.