Confusion continues about what Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party) will do after Sunday's Lower House election, with top leaders making contradictory statements over whether they would join forces with the Liberal Democratic Party to possibly form a two-thirds majority in both Diet chambers.
At the same time, Nippon Ishin remains open to a postelection merger with Your Party, despite the insistence of that party's leader, Yoshimi Watanabe, such a deal is not going to happen.
A two-thirds majority is needed in both the Lower and Upper houses to revise the Constitution, a long-sought goal of Nippon Ishin leader Shintaro Ishihara. He said last week that if the LDP sounds out Nippon Ishin after the election about joining a coalition government, the request would get positive consideration.