Japan's Ishiba says he'll stay in office to tackle inflation and US tariffs despite election loss

New Indian Express

21-07-2025

Trump has added to the pressure, complaining about a lack of progress in trade negotiations and the lack of sales of U.S. autos and American-grown rice to Japan despite a shortfall in domestic stocks of the grain. A 25% tariff due to take effect Aug. 1 has been another blow for Ishiba.
At a news conference Monday, Ishiba said his LDP and the Komeito have agreed to stick with their coalition while seeking further cooperation from opposition parties.
Ishiba resisted calls for his resignation and did not say how much longer he planned to stay on. He is sticking around for the country and the people, not for self-interest, 'to put the pressing issues on a path to a solution," he said.
Voters frustrated with price increases exceeding the pace of wage hikes, especially younger people who have long felt ignored by the ruling government's focus on senior voters, rapidly turned to emerging conservative and right-wing populist parties. Established liberal to centrist parties, including the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, gained little ground.
The Democratic Party for the People quadrupled its seats by campaigning for higher take-home pay. The right-wing Sanseito, running on a 'Japanese First' platform that puts tougher regulations on foreigners and brakes on gender and sexual diversity, surged to number three in the opposition.
The LDP has lost support due to the people's discontent over the party's measures for rising prices, foreign residents and other reasons and that he will 'quickly analyze the results and learn the lesson," Ishiba said.
None of the opposition parties said they want to form a full-fledged alliance with the governing coalition but are open to cooperating on policy. CDPJ leader Yoshihiko Noda told broadcaster NHK that his priority is to form an alliance among the opposition.
'Public opinion clearly said 'no' to the Ishiba government,' Noda said.
Sanseito leader Sohei Kamiya told NHK late Sunday he is open to cooperating with the ruling bloc on conservative policies. While he said his party did better than expected, he would wait to gain more seats in the other house in the next election and attempt to form a multi-party coalition like in Europe.
The Sanseito party's stance encouraged the spread of xenophobic rhetoric in the campaign and on social media, while also attracting people who are strugging with economic woes and looking for targets to vent their discontent and anxiety, experts say. The language triggered protests from rights activists and alarmed foreign residents.