Hatoyama to build joint cabinet

Watch Video

Play Video

Yukio Hatoyama, the leader of the victorious DPJ, is building a joint cabinet with two opposition parties, after its historic win.

The defeated Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito Party are in the process of selecting new leaders.

The leader of the Democratic Party of Japan, Yukio Hatoyama, has decided to maintain cooperation with the other two opposition parties. The DPJ talked with the Social Democratic Party and the People's New Party, about the possibility of creating a joint cabinet.

The SDP gave positive feedback, suggesting a consultation mechanism for the three parties. The leaders of PNP lost in the general election. They will resign their titles in the party but will become consultants in the new cabinet.

Yukio Hatoyama, DPJ Leader, said, "We will draft a plan for building the joint cabinet as soon as possible, after we know more about the expectations of the two parties and the ways they want to cooperate. "

Prime Minister Taro Aso, conceding defeat, says he will step down as leader of Liberal Democratic Party.

The victorious DPJ will face their first challenge during next year's upper house elections. The DPJ has controlled the upper house with the help of two smaller parties since 2007. If they fail to deliver on their promises, the Liberal Democrats could regain confidence from voters. Japan has managed to climb out of a yearlong recession in the second quarter, but its economy remains weak. The jobless rate has risen to a record 5.7 percent.