Japan's Takaichi woos right-leaning party to secure premiership

Sanae Takaichi, the newly-elected head of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, held coalition talks on Thursday with leaders of the right-leaning Innovation Party, in a bid to clinch a prime ministerial vote expected next week.



The Nikkei share average rose as prospects appeared to brighten for Takaichi to become Japan's first woman premier, stoking bets on a revival in big spending and loose monetary policy.



Takaichi's path to succeed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had seemed all but certain until the LDP's junior partner, Komeito, quit their 26-year coalition last week, setting off a flurry of negotiations with rival parties to select the next premier.



"There were strong views (among party members) that we should win as many of the policies we have been committed to as possible, then form a coalition and change Japanese politics," said Fumitake Fujita, co-head of the Innovation Party.



He was speaking to reporters before a meeting with Takaichi and the policy chiefs of the parties.