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Japan: PM Ishiba's ruling coalition loses upper house majority
Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks to the media following upper house elections, at Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) headquarters in Tokyo on July 20, 2025. Image- AFP
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition has failed to win a majority in the 248-seat upper house, according to public broadcaster NHK, dealing a major blow to his leadership.
Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner Komeito needed 50 additional seats to secure a majority, on top of the 75 they already held. With only two seats left to be declared, the coalition had managed just 46.
This defeat leaves Ishiba's coalition in the minority in both houses of parliament, following its earlier loss in the lower house in October — marking the first time since the LDP's founding in 1955 that it lacks control of both chambers.
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Despite the setback, Ishiba vowed on Sunday to remain in office and address key issues such as U.S. tariff pressures. However, he now faces growing internal pressure to either step down or seek a new coalition partner.
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