Japan’s ruling coalition loses upper house majority for first time in three decades
(MENAFN) Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s ruling coalition has lost its majority in the upper house of the National Diet, leaving it without control in both chambers of parliament for the first time since 1994.
In Sunday’s election, Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner Komeito lost 19 seats, falling short of the 125 seats needed to control the 248-member House of Councilors. The coalition now holds 122 seats, three fewer than a majority.
Earlier this year, the ruling coalition suffered a major setback when it lost control of the lower house following a snap election triggered amid a party corruption scandal.
The main opposition, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, maintained its 22 seats, while the center-right Democratic Party For the People (DPP) and the ultraconservative populist Sanseito made significant gains, each winning 13 seats. The DPP advocates tax limits to address rising inflation, and Sanseito promotes a “Japanese First” immigration policy. Together, these parties now hold 17 and 14 seats, respectively.
Despite calls within his party to resign, Ishiba vowed to stay in office and work with the opposition, calling the situation a “national crisis.” At a press conference on Monday, he promised to push for wage increases to combat inflation and to personally engage with US President Donald Trump on trade negotiations.
The defeat comes at a challenging time for Japan, facing inflation and the threat of Trump’s 25% tariffs on Japanese goods, which are scheduled to take effect on August 1.
Washington is also reportedly pressuring Tokyo to adopt a tougher stance against China amid rising tensions over Taiwan. Meanwhile, Moscow has condemned US-led military exercises with Japan and South Korea, calling them destabilizing for the region.
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