Noda's coalition could fall from power TOKYO, July 14 (UPI) -- Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's coalition could fall from power if a former prime minister and his followers leave the ruling party, observers say. There has been speculation former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and his followers will form a new party if he leaves the Democratic Party of Japan over his opposition to Noda's plan to double the sales tax to 10 percent by 2015, The Japan Times reported. The Times noted the DPJ has already lost 49 lawmakers to Ichiro Ozawa's new Kokumin no Seikatsu ga Daiichi (People's Life First), and Noda holds only a slim majority in the Lower House. If 16 or more lawmakers left, the DPJ-Kokumin Shinto (People's New Party) coalition would fall from power. On Friday, Hatoyama denied as "groundless" media reports he could leave the DPJ over the tax increase and start a new party. Hatoyama, along with former Agriculture Minister Masahiko Yamada and others, voted against the tax bill last month but stayed in the DPJ. Hatoyama's party membership was suspended for three months over his vote against the tax bill. He has been meeting with 20 to 30 DPJ members in both Diet chambers. "We must put a stop to the current [government], which is going out of control," Hatoyama said during a meeting of the group Friday.