logo
LDP-Led Coalition Lose Upper House Majority, Ishiba Vows To Continue as Prime Minister

LDP-Led Coalition Lose Upper House Majority, Ishiba Vows To Continue as Prime Minister

Tokyo Weekender3 days ago
A record 26 million people voted in Sunday's Upper House election, which fell in the middle of a three-day holiday. For the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito, 50 was the magic number. They needed to secure 125 seats for a majority, with 75 of those seats not up for election. In the end, they missed out by three.
It is a major blow for the ruling coalition which also lost control of the more powerful Lower House last October. For the first time in its 70-year history, the LDP leads a coalition that doesn't control either house. They will now need the support of at least one opposition party to pass any piece of legislation. All the major opposition parties have refused to join them in an expanded coalition.
List of Contents:
Ishiba To Fight on Despite Another Poor Result
The Rise of Populist Parties
Related Posts
Ishiba To Fight On Despite Another Poor Result
Following two consecutive poor election results, there will, no doubt, be increasing calls for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to step down. One of his most vocal critics within the party is Taro Aso, who served as PM from 2008 to 2009. He
told
TV Asahi that he 'couldn't accept' Ishiba staying on as prime minister. The man himself, however, insists that he is not ready to go just yet.
Speaking to NHK two hours after the polls closed, Ishiba said he 'solemnly' accepted the 'harsh result.' He later
told
TV Tokyo, 'We are engaged in extremely critical tariff negotiations with the United States… We must never ruin these negotiations. It is only natural to devote our complete dedication and energy to realizing our national interests.' Asked whether he planned to continue as prime minister, he replied, 'That's right.'
Sohei Kamiya and the Sanseito Party Logo | Wikimedia
The Rise of Populist Parties
The major opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, meanwhile, secured just 22 seats, down from 38. It was also a disappointing election for the Japan Innovation Party, which fell from 18 to seven. The notable gains in the election came for populist opposition parties like the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP) and Sanseito. The former now holds 17 seats, up from nine, while the latter secured 14. It held just one before the election.
Campaigning under the slogan of 'Japanese First,' the ultraconservative right-wing party is led by Sohei Kamiya. 'If Sanseito wins 50 or 60 seats in the next Lower House election, I think it may be possible to form a coalition government with small parties, like European (governments), in the future. (Sanseito) will aim to be a part of that,'
said
Kamiya at a press conference on Sunday night.
Having exceeded 10 seats, the party can now submit nonspending bills in the Upper House. Its target was 20 seats, the minimum requirement to submit budget bills. Kamiya has repeatedly stated that Sanseito is not a xenophobic party. Speaking at the FCCJ earlier this month, he
said
, 'Please understand we're not intending to exclude foreign workers who are here legally. We just believe cheap foreign labor's not the right way.'
Related Posts
Sanseito Explained: The Alarming Rise of Japan's Far-Right Movement
Why Japanese Leftists Are Using Melonpan to Mock Sanseito
Sanseito Leader Says 'Japanese First Approach Is Not Based on Xenophobia'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Top Japan, S. Korea diplomats to pursue stable development of ties
Top Japan, S. Korea diplomats to pursue stable development of ties

The Mainichi

timean hour ago

  • The Mainichi

Top Japan, S. Korea diplomats to pursue stable development of ties

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his new South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun agreed Thursday to work together to promote the stable development of bilateral relations and maintain close communication, Japan's government said. During their phone talks, Iwaya and Cho also affirmed the importance of cooperating not only bilaterally and also trilaterally with their common ally, the United States, "under the current strategic environment," according to the Foreign Ministry. Iwaya was quoted as saying he hopes to work closely with Cho, who took office on Monday, to address issues related to North Korea, including its nuclear and missile development and past abductions of Japanese nationals. Cho, a former South Korean ambassador to the United Nations, was appointed to his current post by President Lee Jae Myung, who took office in early June following the impeachment and removal of his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, for having briefly imposed martial law last December. Japan-South Korea ties, long strained over historical grievances including a wartime labor dispute, had improved after Yoon became president in 2022, a period that also saw deepened security cooperation among the United States, Japan, and South Korea.

Japan antinuke groups criticize Sanseito politician's call for nuclear armament
Japan antinuke groups criticize Sanseito politician's call for nuclear armament

The Mainichi

time2 hours ago

  • The Mainichi

Japan antinuke groups criticize Sanseito politician's call for nuclear armament

TOKYO -- The co-chair of a Nobel Peace Prize-winning atomic bomb survivors' group on July 23 criticized a member of the Sanseito party for declaring Japan should have nuclear weapons. Three organizations, including the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), which won the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize, issued a joint statement marking the upcoming 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings and held a press conference in Tokyo on July 23. A reporter questioned the groups about comments by Saya, who was elected in the Tokyo constituency in the July 20 House of Councillors election. The Sanseito member advocated for Japan to acquire atomic armaments, stating, "Nuclear armament is the cheapest option." Nihon Hidankyo co-chair Terumi Tanaka, 93, criticized her statement, saying, "It's shameful for Japanese politicians to discuss nuclear weapons on the premise of using them." Masakazu Yasui, 70, secretary-general of the Japan Council against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (Gensuikyo), also called Saya's comment "a dangerous trend," adding, "Could she say the same thing in front of atomic bomb survivors? What happens if even one atomic bomb is used? That is what survivors have risked their lives to warn people about." Masashi Tani, 45, secretary-general of the Japan Congress against Atomic and Hydrogen Bombs (Gensuikin), commented, "These were things that should not be said lightly. I feel a sense of crisis that the barriers to nuclear weapons are being lowered, including in the international community." Tanaka, who was exposed to atomic bomb radiation at age 13 at his home about 3.2 kilometers from the hypocenter in Nagasaki and lost five relatives, stated, "Hibakusha (A-bomb survivors) have always said nuclear weapons must never be used. All politicians should eliminate any thinking that presupposes using nuclear power as a weapon." The Sanseito policy states, "To protect Japan, which is surrounded by nuclear-armed countries, and in light of the harsh realities of the international community, we set nuclear abolition as a long-term goal, but for now, to protect Japan, we must possess deterrence that prevents nuclear-armed countries from using nuclear weapons." (Japanese original by Tohru Shirakawa, Tokyo Bureau)

Top Japan, S Korea diplomats to pursue stable development of ties
Top Japan, S Korea diplomats to pursue stable development of ties

Japan Today

time2 hours ago

  • Japan Today

Top Japan, S Korea diplomats to pursue stable development of ties

Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his new South Korean counterpart Cho Hyun agreed Thursday to work together to promote the stable development of bilateral relations and maintain close communication, Japan's government said. During their phone talks, Iwaya and Cho also affirmed the importance of cooperating not only bilaterally and also trilaterally with their common ally, the United States, "under the current strategic environment," according to the Foreign Ministry. Iwaya was quoted as saying he hopes to work closely with Cho, who took office on Monday, to address issues related to North Korea, including its nuclear and missile development and past abductions of Japanese nationals. Cho, a former South Korean ambassador to the United Nations, was appointed to his current post by President Lee Jae Myung, who took office in early June following the impeachment and removal of his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, for having briefly imposed martial law last December. Japan-South Korea ties, long strained over historical grievances including a wartime labor dispute, had improved after Yoon became president in 2022, a period that also saw deepened security cooperation among the United States, Japan, and South Korea. © KYODO

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store