Japanese Prime Minister clings on to office despite electoral debacle
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has ruled uninterruptedly since 1995, was unable to win the 50 seats it needed to hold on to power together with its government partner.
Shigeru Ishiba, Japanese Prime Minister
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was clinging to office on Monday following the defeat of his coalition government in elections to the upper house of parliament, in which it lost its majority.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has ruled almost uninterruptedly since 1995, and its partner Komeito, needed to win 50 of the 125 seats in contention on Sunday, but achieved only 47, according to NHK national television. The upper house has a total of 248 seats, of which the LDP and Komeito were left with 122.
Voters upset with inflation opted for other parties, in particular Sanseito, with its "Japan first" message reminiscent of U.S. President Donald Trump's agenda. In fact, This right-wing nationalist party won 14 upper house seats.
The debacle came just months after Ishiba's coalition was left in the minority in the lower house, which has more powers, in the worst result in 15 years for the LDP.
"I must fulfill my responsibility as the party with the most votes"
However, Ishiba assured the media that he planned to remain in office despite the defeat. The government chief is expected to inform senior officials in his party of his intention to remain in power, according to the Jiji Press agency.
"Changes in the external environment, such as the international situation or natural disasters, cannot be expected to improve the political situation. For this reason, although I am well aware of our grave responsibility for the election results, I believe that I must fulfill my responsibility as the party with the most votes and to the people of the country, by listening carefully and sincerely to the voices of the people."
Ishiba's continuity, on the wire
However, several analysts anticipate that he could be forced out of office, although it is not clear who could replace him.... "Ishiba could be replaced, but it is unclear who his successor would be," Hidehiro Yamamoto, a professor of politics and sociology at the University of Tsukuba, told AFP. LDP secretary general Hiroshi Moriyama, the party's number two, said a political vacuum must be avoided.
Japan, which has spent years with stagnant or falling prices, began to feel the effects of heavy inflation following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. In particular, rice prices doubled, affecting the budget of many families.
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