TOKYO, Oct 16, 2025 (AFP) - Japan's long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is set to start formal coalition talks on Thursday with the second-largest opposition party, possibly paving a way towards electing the nation's first woman prime minister.

Japan fell into political limbo last week after the Komeito party, the LDP's junior partner, left the ruling coalition after 26 years.

In a bid to find new partners, the LDP's new leader Sanae Takaichi met on Wednesday with her counterparts at the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) -- the second-largest opposition party -- and the two were set to return to talks on Thursday.

"We received a proposal to discuss a possible coalition," Fumitake Fujita, co-head of the JIP, told reporters after discussing the issue at a party meeting.

Fujita said he hoped the discussions would include short-term economic measures and the long-term direction of the country.