TOKYO - Japan's main opposition Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) chief on Thursday said that forming a grand coalition with the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in the near future was out of the question.

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Sadakazu Tanigaki having sought counsel from senior LDP members and former leaders of the party said today the idea was implausible.

"Discussions of that kind are absolutely impossible as both parties haven't even attempted to coordinate policies," Tanigaki said.

On March 19 Kan invited Sadakazu Tanigaki to become vice prime minister and also minister for earthquake reconstruction, as part of a proposed expansion of the cabinet from 17 to 20 ministers.

Other senior LDP figures were also reportedly sounded out to join the proposed coalition, but the idea was initially spurned by Tanigaki who said his party would fully cooperate on post-quake and tsunami measures and as such there was no need for it to join the cabinet.

In the days after his rejection however, lawmakers from both parties said that Tanigaki was warming to the idea, but contrasting opinions in both camps, coupled with his mentors' aversion for the idea has led to Tanigaki's formal rejection of his party forming a grand coalition with the DPJ.