TOKYO – Japan has plunged into political uncertainty after junior coalition partner Komeito ended its 26-year alliance with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), jeopardizing Sanae Takaichi’s historic bid to become the country’s first female prime minister.The rupture, announced on Oct 10, leaves Ms Takaichi’s chances of securing parliamentary approval in doubt despite her recent election as LDP president
She must win at least 233 votes in the Lower House – a challenging task given the LDP’s current 196 seats and the loss of Komeito’s 24-seat support. Mr Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), called the moment a “once-in-a-decade chance for a change of government.” He urged rival opposition forces to rally behind a single candidate to unseat the LDP.
Speculation is mounting that Mr Yuichiro Tamaki of the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) could lead a united opposition front, although policy differences between the DPP and CDP could complicate an alliance. Komeito’s withdrawal followed frustration over the LDP’s handling of a funding scandal involving questionable payments from fundraising events. The fallout deepened when Ms Takaichi appointed a senior party figure, Mr Koichi Hagiuda, who was linked to the controversy, to a top position. “Komeito, which prides itself on integrity, found it difficult to justify this to its supporters,” said Associate Professor Hidehiro Yamamoto of the University of Tsukuba.
Komeito chief Tetsuo Saito confirmed that his party would nominate its own candidate for prime minister, citing the LDP’s failure to implement stricter political funding rules. Analysts warn that without Komeito’s support, as many as one-fifth of LDP lawmakers could lose their seats in the next election. As smaller parties such as the Sanseito gain ground and public support for the long-dominant LDP wanes, Japan faces its most volatile political landscape in decades, with Ms Takaichi’s leadership now hanging in the balance.