Japan's LDP, Ishin agree to form coalition government, Kyodo says

Japan's Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party have broadly agreed to form a coalition government, setting the stage for the country's first female prime minister, Kyodo news agency reported on Sunday.



Sanae Takaichi, leader of the conservative LDP, and Hirofumi Yoshimura, head of the smaller right-leaning group known as Ishin, are set to sign an agreement sealing their alliance on Monday, Kyodo said.



Ishin's co-head, Fumitake Fujita, raised expectations for a deal on Friday, saying the two parties had made "big progress" in coalition talks.



Ishin lawmakers will vote for Takaichi in an election to choose the prime minister in parliament on Tuesday, but the party does not plan to send ministers to Takaichi's cabinet, at least initially, Kyodo said.



That would fall short of the full-fledged alliance the LDP maintained with the Komeito party until the junior partner quit the coalition this month, raising concern over the stability of the forthcoming government.