Japan PM aims to retain upper house majority after July poll
KYODO NEWS - 7 minutes ago - 00:06 | All, Japan
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Monday that his goal for next month's national election is for the ruling coalition to retain its majority in the House of Councillors.
The Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner, the Komeito party, currently control the 248-member upper house. With 125 seats contested this time -- half of the 248 seats in the chamber and one to fill a vacancy, the ruling camp must win 50 seats to clear the majority threshold.
Upper house members serve six-year terms.
As political parties prepare to launch full-fledged election campaigns, Ishiba said at issue is how to address the rising cost of living amid inflation and surging rice prices.
The election will be a critical test for Ishiba, who has been leading a minority government since the ruling coalition lost its majority in the more powerful House of Representatives last October.
"I will give my all to securing the majority of upper house seats in total, including those uncontested this time," Ishiba said.
The LDP, headed by Ishiba, plans to distribute cash handouts to struggling households in line with its campaign pledges, a move criticized by opposition lawmakers.
During the press conference, Ishiba again dismissed the idea of cutting the consumption tax rate to help households, saying that an alternative funding source must first be secured before implementing any such reduction.
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, for instance, is promising to suspend the tax rate on food items, currently at 8 percent, for one year.
Besides rising prices for everyday goods, U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff policy is threatening to hurt the export-reliant Japanese economy.
Ishiba said he will devote himself to the ongoing tariff negotiations with the United States, underscoring the need to realize "win-win" relations through the talks. He and Trump failed to reach a deal last week when they met in person on the fringes of the Group of Seven summit in Canada.
"As I've said before, we will not let our focus on reaching an early deal come at the expense of our national interests," the prime minister said.
Asked if he would consider dissolving the lower house for a snap election or inviting another party to join the ruling camp to smooth the way for a stable government, Ishiba declined to comment directly.
But the premier pointed to high hurdles for any party to take part in the current coalition. "It's out of the question to form a coalition based on one agreeable item," he said, adding that they should be on the same page on "every policy."
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