In a surprise move, the Osaka chapter of Komeito will cooperate with Mayor Toru Hashimoto to hold a referendum on whether to integrate the city of Osaka and the prefecture.
But the party says it remains opposed to the merger, and will urge voters to reject the merger plan when the referendum is held in May.
"We'll conduct a thorough campaign against it," said Yasuo Machiba, the secretary-general of Komeito's Osaka assembly group.