CIVICUS discusses Japan’s recent election with Akio Takayanagi, a policy advisor with the Japan NGO Center for International Cooperation, a network of 100 civil society organisations working to eradicate global poverty, inequality and injustice.
Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since 2009 following a snap election on 27 October. Newly appointed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called the election after a corruption scandal involving LDP lawmakers angered voters, on top of their struggles with inflation and stagnant wages. Although the LDP came first, it fell short of a majority, and its coalition partner, Komeito, also lost seats. The opposition made gains, but also faced criticism for not offering a strong alternative. Japan’s politics have entered a period of uncertainty and potential instability.