CDP chief Noda rejects grand coalition with LDP
Ise, Mie Pref. – Former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, on Saturday rejected the idea of forming a grand coalition with…
Ruling camp approves tax reform proposal
The coalition ruling on Friday approved an annual tax reform proposal for the next fiscal year starting in April, including an increase of the tax-free income threshold from ¥1.03 million…
Ishiba makes concessions to opposition to maintain power
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's minority government has made a series of concessions to gain opposition support for its supplementary budget, which passed the House of Representatives on Thursday.Ishiba's efforts to…
LDP and opposition far from consensus over corporate donations
The governing Liberal Democratic Party and opposition parties were far from reaching a consensus Thursday over whether to ban donations from companies and organizations to political parties, a key issue…
Nippon Ishin elects Osaka Gov. Yoshimura as leader
Osaka – Opposition party Nippon Ishin no Kai elected Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura, 49, as its new leader at a party convention in Osaka on Sunday. Yoshimura, currently co-leader of…
Nippon Ishin chief refuses to cooperate with Ishiba government
Nobuyuki Baba, leader of opposition Nippon Ishin no Kai, announced on Sunday that his party will not cooperate with the administration of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. In a meeting at…
The balance of power shifts in Japan’s politics
Sunday's election upended Japanese politics. The ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic of Japan and its junior partner Komeito took a beating, leaving Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his government…
How Might Japan’s Hung Parliament Affect Foreign Policy?
Japan's snap election on October 27 did not induce much excitement in voters. The turnout rate – 53.85 percent – was the third lowest since 1945. The low energy campaign…
In ‘Exceptionally Harsh Judgment’ From Japan’s Public, LDP Loses Its Majority
On September 27, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) chose Ishiba Shigeru as the party president – and, by extension, Japan's prime minister. Ishiba immediately called for a snap election, hoping…
Japan faces political upheaval after LDP-led coalition loses majority
For the first time in 15 years, the Liberal Democratic Party and its ruling coalition partner, Komeito, have lost their Lower House majority, following a clear rout in Sunday's general…