Leaders of Japan's biggest and third-biggest opposition parties agreed Monday to form a kaiha joint parliamentary group in next year's ordinary Diet session, in an apparent bid to step up their cooperation to challenge the ruling Liberal Democratic Party ahead of next summer's Upper House election.
Democratic Party of Japan leader Katsuya Okada and Ishin no To (Japan Innovation Party) head Yorihisa Matsuno also agreed to deepen their relationship "with an eye to gathering the parties together."
Although Okada did not rule out the possibility of creating a new party together with Ishin in the future, how far they can really deepen their cooperation remains to be seen as Okada and some DPJ members have voiced their reluctance about a full merger.