Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida answers questions from reporters at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on May 29, 2023. (STR / JIJI PRESS / AFP)

TOKYO - The leaders of Japan's two ruling parties agreed on Tuesday to maintain their coalition to ensure political stability despite recent disagreements over cooperation in the next lower house election.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who heads the main ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), held talks with Natsuo Yamaguchi, leader of Japan's ruling coalition party Komeito, and agreed that the row between the LDP and Komeito over their cooperation in the next election for the House of Representatives should not affect the two parties' coalition framework.

The meeting at the prime minister's office came as Komeito informed the LDP last week of its decision not to support LDP candidates in single-seat constituencies in Tokyo

Yamaguchi said that it is not guaranteed that the LDP can solely maintain governance, stressing the importance of his party's existence and the lack of any alternative party that could replace Komeito in forming a coalition with the LDP.

Yamaguchi said he and Kishida shared this fundamental understanding and thus agreed to preserve their alliance.

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The meeting at the prime minister's office came as Komeito informed the LDP last week of its decision not to support LDP candidates in single-seat constituencies in Tokyo, while giving up its plan to field its own candidate in the newly established 28th district of the capital.