Japan's Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party have broadly agreed to form a coalition government, setting the stage for the country's first female prime minister.

Sanae Takaichi, leader of the conservative LDP, and Hirofumi Yoshimura, head of the smaller right-leaning group, known as Ishin, are set to sign an agreement on their alliance on Monday, Kyodo news agency reported on Sunday.

Ishin's co-head, Fumitake Fujita, raised expectations for a deal on Friday, saying the two parties had made "big progress" in coalition talks.

Ishin lawmakers will vote for Takaichi in an election to choose the prime minister in parliament on Tuesday, but the party does not plan to send ministers to Takaichi's cabinet initially, the news agency said.

Takaichi's path to succeed prime mini

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