The opposition Democratic Party for the People (DPP) plans to refrain from joining the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party for the time being.

Some in the LDP sought to realize the DPP’s participation in the coalition before an extraordinary session of the Diet, or parliament, is convened possibly this autumn.

But a decision by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, also LDP president, to reduce the consumption tax rate to 1% from 8% for food for two years from April 2027 caused the DPP to take a tougher line.