TOKYO, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) on Wednesday struck a pact with two smaller parties to form a tripartite coalition.
During their talks, the three sides concurred in the most disputed issue concerning the U.S. military presence in Japan, agreeing to present to the United States a review of the planned realignment of the U.S. forces in Japan and an amendment of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement.
The agreement came after DPJ's talks with the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the People's New Party (PNP) failed Tuesday due to their differences over the "so-called Okinawa issue," which refers to the relocation of U.S. military facilities in the southernmost Japanese prefecture.
In Tuesday's talks, the DPJ made clear its stance on the issue, pledging to "resolve the problems lying between the two countries, including how to deal with the (U.S.) bases."
But the leftist SDP, which upholds Japan's war-renouncing Constitution, demanded that the envisaged coalition administration reexamine the planned redeployment of the facilities of the U.S. Marine Corps' Futemma Air Station in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture, to lighten the heavy U.S. military presence there.
Though the DPJ won a handsome victory in the Aug. 30 lower house election, cooperation with the two allies is needed to control the less powerful upper house to ensure smooth legislation.
Chiefs of the three parties are expected to meet at 5:30 p.m. to formalize the agreement. And DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama is likely to ask SDP leader Mizuho Fukushima and PNP Chief Shizuka Kamei to join his Cabinet.
