TOKYO. Dec 31: Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama will hand over power as early as April to Ryutaro Hashimoto, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), his major coalition partner, a newspaper said today, reports AFP.

The power transfer was agreed by Murayama, head of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Hashimoto, who is also trade minister, and finance minister Masayoshi Takemura, who leads the New Party Saklgake. the mass-circulation Yomluri Shimbun said, quoting government and coalition sources.

Murayama. 71. is expected to step down after parliament passes budget bills for the year around April. It will probably also follow the visit by US President Bill Clinton on April 16.