TOKYO, Oct. 28 (Xinhua/GNA) — Japan’s political landscape has entered a period of heightened uncertainty, following Sunday’s general election, in which the ruling coalition lost its long-standing majority and left no party with a clear mandate to navigate economic challenges which the country is currently facing.

Japan’s ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its partner Komeito secured 215 of the 465 seats in the lower house election, falling short of the majority threshold for the first time in 15 years. Even if the LDP regains former lawmakers running as independents because of a scandal that saw them lose party support, the coalition would still lose a majority in the influential lower house. Analysts saw the result as the Japanese public’s final “verdict” on the LDP, triggered by a series of political funding scandals that have fueled widespread discontent.
Atsushi Kouketsu, professor emeritus at Yamaguchi University, said that while the election result was extremely harsh for the LDP, it could act as a catalyst for needed changes within the party. In contrast, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) significantly increased its representation, rising from 98 seats before the election to 148 seats.

As mandated by the constitution, the Riksdag must convene an extra session within 30 days of the election date, where the current government led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will collectively resign and the newly elected members of the Riksdag will nominate the next prime minister. minister.

If Ishiba were re-elected, it would establish a second cabinet. Otherwise, he risks becoming Japan’s shortest-serving prime minister since World War II. His fate now hangs in the balance, and analysts are watching closely to see if he can muster enough support and negotiate with opposition groups to secure a stable government going forward. Smaller parties, such as the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) and the Japan Innovation Party, can now play crucial roles in the political landscape.

The DPP secured 28 seats, while the Japan Innovation Party won 38. But leaders of both parties have said they would rule out joining the coalition but are open to case-by-case cooperation on some issues.

As for potential alliances with other opposition parties, Ishiba indicated on Monday afternoon that he is not currently considering such arrangements, but highlighted the importance of understanding and integrating voters’ views into future discussions.

In another scenario, should the opposition parties manage to unite with independents and secure a majority, a power shift could be feasible. Even if the LDP-Komeito coalition remains in power, negotiating with a third party for its cooperation in parliament for each bill would exacerbate political instability and drastically reduce the LDP’s authority over the coalition, leaving Ishiba’s administration on even less stable ground. The new administration will also face significant challenges, including implementing serious policy reforms to address public outrage over the scandal and address economic concerns about rising prices and stagnant wages.

In recent years, sluggish economic growth, wage stagnation, rising prices and the sharp depreciation of the yen have created misery for the Japanese public.

In a statement on Monday, Masakazu Tokura, head of the Japan Business Federation, pointed out that Japan’s economy is facing urgent and significant challenges that cannot be ignored, and expressed hope for the establishment of a stable political framework, centered around the ruling LDP and Komei. , to enable the effective development of policy-driven governance.

GNA