The conservative Liberal Democratic Party suffered an electoral defeat on Sunday and lost its majority in the House of Representatives. However, it does not mean the fall of the coalition government.
ADVERTISINGAfter 15 years in powerthe conservative Liberal Democratic Party of Japan will lose its majority in the House of Representatives. Prime Minister Isiba Shigeru’s party has suffered an electoral defeat in Sunday’s key elections and failed to reach the 233 seats that give it the 465-seat majority.
The results reflect voter outrage by the extensive financial scandals of the ruling party. Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party and its ruling coalition with junior partner Komeito will lose a majority of 233 seats in the Lower House, the most powerful in Japan’s bicameral parliament, broadcaster ‘NHK’ said.
Not getting the majority does not mean a change of governmentbut the results would make it difficult for Ishiba to get his party’s policies passed in Parliament, and he might have to find a third coalition partner.
Ishiba, who took office on October 1, immediately ordered elections to be held with the hope of strengthening support after his predecessor, Fumio Kishida, failed to address public outrage over the actions of the Liberal Democratic Party.
“We have to reflect,” says the prime minister
“So far, the results have been extremely severe and we take them very seriously,” Ishiba told NHK. “I think voters are telling us that let’s reflect more and we become a party that lives up to their expectations.
If the majority is lost, Ishiba said, his party will continue to lead a ruling coalition and will address key policieswill develop a planned supplementary budget and pursue political reform. He indicated that his party is open to cooperating with opposition groups if that fits with public expectations.
Exit polls indicated that the Liberal Democratic Party was expected to get between 153 and 219 seatsa drastic drop from the comfortable majority of 247 it previously had. Komeito was expected to win between 21 and 35 seats.
As of Monday morning, the party had obtained 173 seats and the Komeito 22, making the ruling coalition would have a total of 195while the main opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, won 137 seats, according to ‘NHK’.
