By Mariko Yasumoto
     The Democratic Party of Japan and two minor parties signed an agreement Wednesday to launch a coalition government next week as they worked through their differences on national security issues, reaching a basic agreement on the controversial issue of the status of U.S. forces in Japan.

To access full stories on Kyodo News English website, it is necessary to subscribe. Please contact Kyodo's International Department in Tokyo via e-mail at kokusai@kyodonews.jp or call 03-6252-8301. If you are outside Japan, please contact Kyodo News International in New York at kni@kyodonews.com or call +1-212-508-5440. Currently we offer subscriptions to only corporate clients such as newspapers, magazines, trade publications, research institutes, government and international organizations.