Pressure Mounts on Ishiba

TOKYO, Oct 28 (News On Japan) - Reports from within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) suggest rising dissatisfaction following a setback in the election where the ruling party failed to secure a majority.

The LDP had set its benchmark as winning a majority of seats, a goal that now puts pressure on Prime Minister Ishiba and senior party leaders to take accountability. Ishiba, who was chosen as party president to lead the LDP to election victory, called for a snap election immediately after his appointment but has struggled to overcome public backlash stemming from recent funding scandals.

Compounding these issues, a last-minute revelation emerged involving a 20 million yen payment to a non-official candidate’s local party branch, with some members within the party citing this as the final blow. Discussion on leadership has already begun among Ishiba and other top officials, and it seems inevitable that Koizumi, the head of the election committee, will step down.

However, with the urgent matter of drafting a supplementary budget, Prime Minister Ishiba is expected to remain in his role.

Meanwhile, the loss of Komeito's leader, Ishii, has sent shockwaves through Komeito, a coalition partner of the LDP. To sustain its governance, the LDP may seek coalition or external cooperation with other parties.

The focus now shifts to whether collaboration can be secured with the Democratic Party for the People and the Japan Innovation Party, both of which have previously supported key policy initiatives. Yet uncertainty abounds regarding how the Diet will navigate the upcoming session, with growing concerns about the government’s path forward.

Source: ANN

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