American Marconi Wireless News - Japan main opposition eyes unified PM candidate to block Takaichi

Junior partner Komeito quit its 26-year alliance with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on Friday, putting in peril Takaichi's bid to become the country's first woman premier.

Conservative Takaichi was elected as the new LDP president a week ago but needs the approval of parliament to secure the top job.

"This is a once-in-a-decade chance for a change of government," said Yoshihiko Noda, head of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), the business Nikkei daily reported late Friday.

Komeito's decision to quit the alliance that has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for 25 years sank Japan into a new political crisis.

Speaking during the recording of a Nikkei podcast, which has yet to be released, Noda said he would urge the opposition to unite behind a single candidate.

He said that person could potentially be Yuichiro Tamaki, who heads the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) and said Friday he was willing to stand.

However there are significant policy differences between the DDP and CDP, which could reportedly scupper cooperation.

-'Public integrity' -

The LDP has been haemorrhaging support as backing grows for smaller parties -- including the anti-immigration Sanseito -- and it is in a minority in both chambers, even with Komeito.

In the powerful Lower House, the LDP has 196 seats, the CDP 148, the DPP 27 and Komeito 24.

Takaichi needs a majority of 233 seats in her favour to be appointed by parliament, which appears difficult given the numbers.

However, experts say she could still win if opposition parties fail to agree on an alternative candidate.

Komeito party chief Tetsuo Saito said on Friday his fellow members would nominate him instead of Takaichi.

Saito also explained that the main reason for quitting the coalition was the LDP's failure to tighten rules on the funding of political parties.

This follows a scandal within the LDP that emerged last year involving dodgy payments of millions of dollars related to ticket sales for fundraising events.

Takaichi caused particular consternation to Komeito by appointing Koichi Hagiuda, who was embroiled in the scandal, to a senior party post, reports said.

"For the Komeito party, which champions public integrity, it is difficult to explain this to its supporters and those working hard on the election campaign," Hidehiro Yamamoto, politics and sociology professor at the University of Tsukuba, told AFP.

Despite its small size, Komeito -- a party supported by the lay Buddhist organisation Soka Gakkai -- helped the LDP in the elections.

Around 20 percent of LDP lawmakers are estimated to lose seats without Komeito's help, according to the Yomiuri Shimbun daily.

M.Thompson--AMWN