TOKYO: Japan’s ruling coalition has lost its majority in the upper house following Sunday’s election, public broadcaster NHK reported, further weakening Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s administration ahead of a crucial US tariff deadline.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner Komeito failed to secure the 50 seats needed to maintain control of the 248-seat chamber, with six seats still undecided.
This marks another setback for Ishiba, who lost control of the lower house in October, leaving his government vulnerable to no-confidence motions and internal calls for leadership change.
“We must never ruin these negotiations,“ Ishiba told TV Tokyo, referring to ongoing US trade talks ahead of an August 1 deadline to avoid tariffs.
The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party secured a strong second-place finish, while the far-right Sanseito party gained traction with its anti-immigration rhetoric, adding at least 13 seats.
Opposition parties capitalized on voter frustration over rising living costs, particularly rice prices, by promising tax cuts and welfare spending.
“The LDP was largely playing defence in this election, being on the wrong side of a key voter issue,“ said Eurasia Group’s David Boling.
Analysts warn that fiscal compromises with opposition parties could unsettle Japan’s debt-laden economy.
Sanseito, which gained prominence during the pandemic with anti-vaccine rhetoric, has shifted focus to immigration, resonating with voters like 25-year-old student Yu Nagai, who said, “Japanese people are a bit disrespected.”
Despite record foreign residents (3.8 million), Japan’s immigrant population remains low at 3%, though tourism has increased visibility. – Reuters
