TWO weeks behind the deadline it set itself, Japan's new ruling coalition has finally reached consensus on a political reform plan that will radically change Japan's democratic structure.
However, it appears to have backtracked on one key issue - political donations from Japanese business corporations.
A crucial element behind the delay in reaching a compromise was the need to try to secure the support of the Socialists for the proposed reforms, thereby preventing them from breaking up, and even bringing the coalition down.
In the end, the ideas favoured by the Socialists, led by Political Reform Minister Sadao Yamahana, the Japan New Party (JNP) led by Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa, and the New Forerunner Party led by Chief Cabinet Secretary Masayoshi Takemura generally carried the day.
First and foremost, under the agreed plan, the next House of Representatives will consist of 500 members, half elected in single-seat constituencies, and the other half elected through proportional representation. The current Lower House consists of 511 members chosen in 129 constituencies which return between three and six members each.
Second, the coalition has agreed that each Japanese voter will have two votes, one for the candidate of their choice in their home constituency, and one for the political party of their choice with proportional representation.
A major cause for the delay in reaching consensus on the plan was the opposition of the Japan Renewal Party led by Deputy Prime Minister Tsutomu Hata, and the Clean Government Party, which both urged 300 single member constituencies and only 200 seats through proportional representation, and wanted single votes.