21.   Coalition officials said the ruling parties would try to make a final decision over the issue over the next few days.

22.   Coalition officials said they did not know his condition.

23.   Coalition officials have not set a date for the departure of foreign troops.

24.   During a meeting with senior coalition officials, Murayama said the ruling parties particuarly needed to renew their economic policy to meet a recent change of the economic circumstance.

25.   Even before the name of the new prime minister was officially announced, coalition officials were busy choosing the members of the Hashimoto cabinet, according to party sources.

26.   It also brushed off newspaper reports that Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama has indicated to fellow coalition officials his intention to resign.

27.   Late Thursday, coalition senior officials held a meeting and agreed to maintain the current coalition framework and cooperate in the planned general elections, party officials said.

28.   Many ruling coalition officials, including the five seniormost officials of the Liberal Democratic Party, are opposing the tax hike plans, the daily said.

29.   Many ruling coalition officials, including the five top officials of the Liberal Democratic Party, oppose the tax increases, it added.