Japan’s coalition loss signals political shake-up for prime minister Ishiba

Japan’s ruling coalition lost its majority in parliament in a snap election held on Sunday. The outcome, widely seen as a public rebuke over issues like inflation and corruption, marks the Liberal Democratic Party’s worst result in more than a decade. ​ 

The loss is a significant blow to prime minister Shigeru Ishiba. He had called the snap election less than a month ago, when he assumed leadership, in an attempt to gain a mandate and restore public confidence. However, the strategy appears to have backfired, with voters voicing discontent over a series of scandals and rising living costs.

Ishiba has said he plans to remain in office to avoid creating a political vacuum. However, he has pledged reforms to address funding scandals and improve transparency within the party, which has dominated Japanese politics for most of the post-war period.

Ishiba’s party, along with its coalition partner Komeito, captured just 215 seats, falling short of the 233 needed to hold a majority in Japan’s 465-seat parliament. It now faces the prospect of governing as a minority or seeking support from smaller parties. 

Japan’s election results come just over a week before the US votes for a new president. Ishiba has made strengthening Japan’s ties with the US a top priority, particularly given the growing security challenges in Asia, including an increasingly assertive China and unpredictable North Korea.

^{Shigeru Ishiba, Japan's prime minister and leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, at a press conference at the party's headquarters in Tokyo © PHOTO KIM KYUNG-HOON / POOL / AFP}