Political crisis in Japan worsens: junior partner leaves government

Coalition break in Japan: Almost a week after the appointment of Sanae Takaichi as the new head of the ruling LDP party, coalition partner Komeito has terminated the alliance. This was reported by the Kyodo news agency, citing a high-ranking Komeito official. This means that Takaichi’s election as prime minister is in jeopardy.

The new LDP leader Takaichi has not provided any satisfactory answers regarding, among other things, the recent corruption scandals in her party, said Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito, according to Japanese media reports on Friday.

With the coalition break, it is questionable whether Takaichi will be elected Japan’s first female head of government as expected. Since the previous heads of the long-standing ruling LDP party were also traditionally prime ministers, Takaichi was considered the first woman to hold the office. But for this to happen, she would probably also need the votes of the Komeito MPs in a vote in parliament. Saito said his party would not support Takaichi in parliament’s vote on the next government. Takaichi’s election to office by parliament was expected later this month.

The largest opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party, has called on other parties to support an opposing candidate. The head of the People’s Democratic Party (DPP), Yuichiro Tamaki, is considered a possible challenger.

Takaichi, 64, called Komeito’s decision “very regrettable.” The LDP and its smaller coalition partner have “worked together for the past 26 years, even when we were not in power.” It is “very regrettable that this relationship is ending in this way.”

Komeito leader Saito announced that his party would support the budget reforms already developed with the LDP and other legislative projects in parliament outside the coalition.

According to reports, Komeito, previously a junior partner in the LDP, is also critical of Takaichi’s political course. The admirer of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is considered a national hardliner. She prevailed in the runoff election for party leadership against the much younger and more progressive candidate Shinjiro Koizumi.

The government led by the LDP with its junior partner Komeito last lost its majority in the elections to the upper house in July and has only been a minority government since then. The previous LDP chairman and current head of government, Shigeru Ishiba, had to resign at the beginning of September. The party has also been weakened by a corruption scandal.

Japan faces a multitude of challenges. These include an aging population, geopolitical upheaval, a weakening economy and growing tensions over immigration into the country.