In a BS TV program broadcast on Aug. 22, Baba Nobuyuki, secretary-general of Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), hinted that there is some room to cooperate with the Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito on a policy basis depending on the results of the next general election. Asked by the program emcee about the possibility of partially forming an alliance, he replied, “I don’t say the possibility is zero.” And he added that “to carry out a drastic reform, we need to ensure that we will be able to hold the decisive vote.”

On forming a non-cabinet alliance, he noted that “if [the ruling parties] can guarantee that we can do what we want to do, working with them on various policies could become feasible.” Nippon Ishin currently takes an impartial and unbiased approach toward the Suga administration. (Abridged)