Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reiterated Monday he will step down if his ruling coalition fails to win a majority in the upcoming general election.

Koizumi made the pledge in a debate hosted by the Japan National Press Club ahead of the Sept. 11 House of Representatives election.

Koizumi said he will resign if the coalition of his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the New Komeito party fails to reach the 241-seat majority "even by one seat".

Katsuya Okada, president of the largest opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), also attended the debate and reiterated that he will step down as DPJ president if his party fails to win power.

New Komeito party leader Takenori Kanzaki said on the occasion that neither the ruling coalition nor the DPJ secures a majority, his party will still try to maintain the alliance with the LDP.

Among the 37 parliament members who voted against Koizumi's postal privatization bills last month, seven have left the party to join the People's New Party or the New Party Nippon, and three have decided not to run in the coming race. The others are planning to run as independents.

Source: Xinhua