Japan's ruling and opposition parties engage in tug-of-war for Diet majority

Oct 29 (News On Japan) - Political parties in Japan are jockeying to form a majority in the Diet following an election that dealt a severe blow to the ruling coalition. A vote to name the prime minister is due to take place in the legislature in a few weeks.

Sunday's Lower House election saw the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito lose more than 60 seats, as well as their majority, in the chamber.

Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru, who heads the LDP, has indicated that he will remain in his post and maintain the coalition government. He said national politics should not be allowed to stall for a single moment, and that he hopes to fulfill his duties.

The LDP currently does not intend to expand the coalition. It plans to cooperate with opposition parties on a policy-by-policy basis.

The party is reaching out to the opposition behind the scenes to secure Ishiba's election as prime minister at a special Diet session. The LDP has presented a plan to Komeito to convene the session by mid-November, taking upcoming diplomatic schedules into account.

The largest opposition Constitutional Democratic Party gained 50 seats in the election, and is asking other parties to vote for its leader, Noda Yoshihiko. Noda has indicated that he will devote his efforts to building a team to counter the ruling coalition.

Another opposition party, the Democratic Party for the People, made significant strides in the election by quadrupling its number of seats to 28.

The party says its leader, Tamaki Yuichiro, has been approached by an executive of the LDP over the Diet vote for prime minister.

Tamaki says his party is open to voting for the leader of another party if that would lead to the implementation of the policies it promised during the election campaign.

Huge Whirlwind Appears Off Japan's Northern Coast

A massive tornado-like phenomenon was observed late in the morning of October 2nd off the coast of Tsuruoka in Yamagata Prefecture’s Shonai region, with thick swirling clouds rising high into the sky as seawater was drawn upward.

Maebashi Mayor Admits Love Hotel Scandal Completely Her Fault

Maebashi Mayor Akira Ogawa held a closed-door meeting with all city council members on October 2nd to explain her repeated hotel meetings with a married senior city official, but afterward she avoided stating whether she would resign.

Why Did a Wooden Home in Tokyo Collapse?

A two-story wooden house collapsed in Tokyo’s Suginami Ward on the night of September 30th, with experts suggesting that the ground beneath the property, rather than the building itself, gave way, likely due to a cracked retaining wall.

Hokkaido Saw Record-Breaking Rainfall in Just Six Hours

Heavy rainfall battered parts of Hokkaido, with some areas receiving more than a month’s worth of precipitation in only six hours, prompting flood warnings and evacuation advisories. Meteorologists are saying the downpour was the result of a combination of unstable atmospheric conditions and moist air flowing in from the sea.

Kamakura Introduces Bathing Tax to Tackle Overtourism

Kamakura City in Kanagawa Prefecture has approved the introduction of a bathing tax, but the measure is drawing strong criticism from local hot spring operators since only two facilities fall under the new levy.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Politics NEWS

Why People Say Japan Would End If Shinjiro Koizumi Became PM

Japan is about to hold the leadership election of the ruling party, and the winner will become the next prime minister. Five candidates are in the running this time. Some people say Japan is doomed no matter who wins. (Japanese Comedian Meshida)

LDP Leadership Election Hinges on Unique Two-Stage Voting System

The upcoming Liberal Democratic Party leadership election will determine not only who leads Japan’s ruling party but also who is likely to become the country’s next prime minister, and the voting system itself plays a decisive role in shaping the outcome. The election is decided by a combination of votes from LDP lawmakers in the National Diet and ballots cast by the party’s grassroots members across Japan, creating a two-stage process that balances national and local influence.

Koizumi Under Fire Over Party Vote List, Questions Over Transparency

With the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election just days away, questions have emerged over the handling of a clerical error in Kanagawa Prefecture’s membership rolls, an organization chaired by Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.

Shinjiro Koizumi Mass Resignation Scandal in Kanagawa

A bombshell report has surfaced in Kanagawa Prefecture, the political base of Shinjiro Koizumi, where as many as 826 members of the Liberal Democratic Party aligned with the Takaichi faction were treated as having resigned from the party without their consent, according to an investigation by the weekly magazine Bunshun.

Chaos Erupts Between Japanese Patriots and Antifa at Anti-Immigration Rally

An anti-immigration rally in Osaka on September 30th descended into chaos as nationalist groups and Antifa counter-protesters clashed in the streets, with loud chants, heated exchanges, and occasional physical altercations captured on camera.

Takaichi Tops Poll at 34% for Next LDP President as Koizumi Trails

In a September opinion poll conducted by TV Tokyo and the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, former Minister of State for Economic Security Takaichi was the frontrunner with 34% when respondents were asked who they believed should be the next Liberal Democratic Party president.

LDP Leadership Candidates Debate With High School Students

Five candidates vying for the Liberal Democratic Party presidency held a debate with high school students, emphasizing long-term strategies for Japan’s economy and other policy areas.

Koizumi Camp Under Fire Over Online Posts

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership race entered its fifth day on September 26th, with Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi forced to apologize after his campaign team was found to have requested supportive online posts from backers.

< 2 3 4 5 >