Japan's ruling LDP loses majority in upper house elections, Ishiba to continue as PM
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition failed to secure a majority in the 248-seat upper house in a parliamentary election on July 20, 2025. Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats on top of the 75 seats they already have, to reach that goal. However, the coalition won only 46 seats. While the ballot does not directly determine whether Ishiba's shaky minority government falls, it heaps pressure on the embattled leader who also lost control of the more-powerful lower house in October.
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