Komeito, DPP agree on political reform measures

November 12 , 2024

Top leaders of the DPP and Komeito met to discuss an array of political reforms on Nov. 11Top leaders of the DPP and Komeito met to discuss an array of political reforms on Nov. 11

On November 11, the top leaders of Komeito and the opposition Democratic Party of the People (DPP) met to crack down on the ties between illicit or unnecessary money and politics that demand prompt correction. DPP’s Yuichiro Tamaki and Komeito’s Tetsuo Saito agreed on the need to establish an independent agency to monitor political funding, eliminate the “political activity allowance” and pare a ¥12 million annual subsidy to conduct policy research, public and media relations and other work that the state pays to parliamentarians. They also agreed to adopt these measures by the end of the year.

The agreement is significant in that Komeito is a partner in the minority ruling coalition led by the Liberal Democratic Party, which must now rely on the DPP’s cooperation to pass legislation going forward.