Japan in political uncertainty after long-ruling party loses election

A major political shakeup has taken over Japan. The ruling party failed to win a majority in parliament for the first time in more than a decade. 

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said he won’t step down, despite the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) losing the general election Sunday, Oct. 27. Ishiba called a snap election soon after being sworn in, hoping to cement his leadership of the LDP.

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The ruling party lost 68 seats in Sunday’s election, dropping the LDP from 259 seats to 191 seats in the 465 seat Japanese House of Representatives. The LDP’s coalition partner, Komeito, also lost 8 seats, dropping from 32 to 24 seats.

Big winners in the election included the Constitutional Democratic Party, led by Yoshihiko Noda, which jumped from 96 seats to 148 seats, and the Democratic Party For the People, led by Yuichiro Tamaki, which gained 17 seats, rising from just 11 seats to 28 after the election.

A number of issues led to the election result, with many voters in Japan upset over rising inflation, and a major political funding scandal at the center of the Liberal Democratic Party.

An investigation in 2023 revealed lawmakers had been pocketing millions of dollars in proceeds from fundraisers, resulting in approval ratings of lower than 20%.

This is the first time the Liberal Democratic Party has lost its majority since 2009. The party ruled almost continuously since 1955. Japan’s parliament has 30 days to convene and choose a prime minister. 

The chosen prime minister’s party will form the government and can do that without a majority of seats, making up that loss by creating a larger coalition with other political parties.