Japan opposition alliance formalizes split plan after merger talks fail

TOKYO - Japan's main opposition party, the Centrist Reform Alliance, formalized its plan to split on Wednesday, with its members to leave based on their prior affiliations with its two founding parties after talks on a full merger collapsed.

Lawmakers formerly belonging to the Komeito party are set to return to it while those from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan plan to form a new party, the alliance's head Junya Ogawa told reporters in parliament after internal discussions.