logo
Japan election results: Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to be removed soon? Question rises after ruling coalition loses Sunday's vote

Japan election results: Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to be removed soon? Question rises after ruling coalition loses Sunday's vote

Time of India7 days ago
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's future was unclear Monday after his coalition appeared to have disastrously lost its upper house majority in elections that saw strong gains by a right-wing populist party. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed almost continuously since 1955, and its partner Komeito had to win 50 seats in Sunday's vote but they secured only around 41, according to local media projections.
Voters angry at inflation turned to other parties, notably the "Japanese first" Sanseito, which made strong gains with its "anti-globalist" drive reminiscent of US President Donald Trump's agenda.
Explore courses from Top Institutes in
Select a Course Category
Product Management
Cybersecurity
PGDM
Design Thinking
CXO
Management
Others
Degree
Leadership
MBA
others
Digital Marketing
Data Analytics
healthcare
Finance
Public Policy
Data Science
Data Science
Project Management
Artificial Intelligence
Technology
Healthcare
Operations Management
MCA
Skills you'll gain:
Product Strategy & Competitive Advantage Tactics
Product Development Processes & Market Orientations
Product Analytics & Data-Driven Decision Making
Agile Development, Design Thinking, & Product Leadership
Duration:
40 Weeks
IIM Kozhikode
Professional Certificate in Product Management
Starts on
Jun 26, 2024
Get Details
Skills you'll gain:
Creating Effective Product Roadmap
User Research & Translating it to Product Design
Key Metrics via Product Analytics
Hand-On Projects Using Cutting Edge Tools
Duration:
12 Weeks
Indian School of Business
ISB Product Management
Starts on
May 14, 2024
Get Details
Skills you'll gain:
Product Strategy & Roadmapping
User-Centric Product Design
Agile Product Development
Market Analysis & Product Launch
Duration:
24 Weeks
Indian School of Business
Professional Certificate in Product Management
Starts on
Jun 26, 2024
Get Details
The debacle comes only months after Ishiba's coalition also lost its majority in the lower house, suffering the LDP's worst result in 15 years.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
If you have a mouse, play this game for 1 minute
Navy Quest
Undo
68-year-old Ishiba, a self-avowed policy "geek" seen as a safe pair of hands when he won the LDP leadership in September -- on his fifth attempt -- was tight-lipped late Sunday about his future.
"It's a difficult situation, and we have to take it very humbly and seriously," Ishiba told broadcaster NHK. Asked about his future, he said only that he "cannot speak lightly of it".
Live Events
"We can't do anything until we see the final results, but we want to be very aware of our responsibility," Ishiba added.
If he goes, it was unclear who might step up as the LDP's 11th premier since 2000 now that the government needs opposition support in both chambers.
"Ishiba may be replaced by someone else, but it's not clear who will be the successor," Hidehiro Yamamoto, politics and sociology professor at the University of Tsukuba, told AFP.
After years of stagnant or falling prices, consumers in the world's fourth-largest economy have been squeezed by inflation since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
In particular, the price of rice has doubled, squeezing many household budgets despite government handouts.
Not helping is lingering resentment about an LDP funding scandal, and US tariffs of 25 percent due to bite from August 1 if there is no trade deal with the United States.
Japanese imports are already subject to a 10 percent tariff, while the auto industry, which accounts for eight percent of jobs, is reeling from a 25 percent levy.
Weak export data last week, which showed plummeting US-bound auto deliveries, stoked fears that Japan could tip into a technical recession.
Despite Ishiba securing an early meeting with Trump in February, and sending his trade envoy to Washington seven times, there has been no accord.
The last time the LDP and Komeito failed to win a majority in the upper house was in 2010, having already fallen below the threshold in 2007.
That was followed by a rare change of government in 2009, when the now-defunct Democratic Party of Japan governed for a rocky three years.
Today, the opposition is fragmented, and chances are slim that the parties can form an alternative government.
Populist opposition party Sanseito wants "stricter rules and limits" on immigration, opposes "globalism" and "radical" gender policies, and wants a rethink on decarbonisation and vaccines.
Last week, it was forced to deny any links to Moscow -- which has backed populist parties elsewhere -- after a candidate was interviewed by Russian state media.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

PDP reasserts self-rule demand, fields Irtiqa in key role on foundation day
PDP reasserts self-rule demand, fields Irtiqa in key role on foundation day

Time of India

time29 minutes ago

  • Time of India

PDP reasserts self-rule demand, fields Irtiqa in key role on foundation day

SRINAGAR: PDP reaffirmed Sunday its demand for self-rule in J&K, saying it would continue to push for cross-border trade, easing of travel between the Union territory and PoK, and a 'dignified resolution' to long-standing political conflicts. 'PDP was never meant to be just another party… We stood for self-rule… We believed that peace in South Asia runs through the hearts of the people of J&K, and not over their heads,' the party said a day before its foundation day. Since unveiling its self-rule doctrine in 2008, which proposed cross-LoC economic integration and a dual currency system between J&K and PoK, the party has carved a distinct political path. Unlike most regional parties that have focused on restoring statehood following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, PDP has consistently called for full restoration of the article — and now appears intent on re-centring the political discourse around its self-rule narrative, sources said. Delivering the official message this year was Irtiqa Mufti, US-educated eldest daughter of party president Mehbooba Mufti . Irtiqa, who edits PDP's monthly mouthpiece Speak Up, said the party's foundation day was a moment to 'reflect on the idea that gave birth to PDP'. 'In 1999, my grandfather Mufti Mohammad Sayeed founded this party with the belief that the people of J&K deserve dignity, dialogue, and democratic rights,' she said in her widely circulated message. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Her appearance has fuelled speculation of her entry into politics, especially as her younger sister Iltija Mufti has been a prominent voice since 2019. However, PDP spokesperson Mohit Bhan said Irtiqa's current role remains within the party's communications team. Irtiqa has gradually stepped into the public sphere over the past few months, mirroring the political ascent once made by Iltija. Sunday's message marked her most visible role yet.

Pakistan tribal council threatens highway block over girl's murder
Pakistan tribal council threatens highway block over girl's murder

Time of India

time29 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Pakistan tribal council threatens highway block over girl's murder

ISLAMABAD: A tribal jirga (council of elders) in Pakistan's Tank district has threatened to block a stretch of Indus Highway on July 29 after the killing of a nine-year-old girl sparked public outrage. Convened in Tank's Gul Imam on Saturday, the jirga issued an 11-point charter of demands, warning of a full blockade if authorities fail to respond. Indus Highway (N-55) is a critical national artery that runs along the river, connecting Karachi in Pakistan's south with Peshawar in the north and cutting through multiple provinces. The planned blockade at Pezu will impact trade routes, passenger transport, and military convoys. The protests gained momentum after a viral video showed residents confronting armed security personnel -- an extraordinary act in this militarised stretch of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The footage amplified long-standing anger over arbitrary detentions, raids without warrants, and what locals call collective punishment disguised as counterterrorism. 'Our decision to block the highway remains. If our demands are accepted, we'll reconsider. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Tummy Tuck Surgery In Russian Federation Might Be Cheaper Than You Think Tummy Tuck Surgery | Search Ads Undo If not, Pezu will be shut down on July 29,' jirga leader Abdul Qayum Kundi said. Police have registered a case in the girl's death, but authorities have yet to disclose any findings. Locals allege misconduct or negligence by security forces—claims that remain unverified but widely believed within the community. In a bid to defuse tensions, local officials delivered three sheep and (Pak) Rs 2.5 million (around $9,000) to the girl's family -- an act rooted in tribal custom, meant to symbolise remorse and reconciliation. But jirga members view it as a token gesture. 'This is hush money in ceremonial form,' said one elder. The jirga's demands include the release of detainees not proven to have militant ties, an end to forced house searches, and a halt to arrests of suspects' relatives. They also call for the return of confiscated weapons and an end to detentions based on vague accusations of mukhbiri (spying). The jirga's demands echo those of the banned Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), which for years challenged Pakistan's security policies in its tribal belt.

Did Epstein introduce Melania to Trump? Biographer makes bold claim; first lady's book says otherwise
Did Epstein introduce Melania to Trump? Biographer makes bold claim; first lady's book says otherwise

Time of India

time29 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Did Epstein introduce Melania to Trump? Biographer makes bold claim; first lady's book says otherwise

Michael Wolff , Melania and Donald Trump (AP file photos) US president Donald Trump 's longtime biographer Michael Wolff has reignited controversy by claiming that Jeffrey Epstein played a key role in introducing Melania Trump to her future husband. Speaking on The Daily Beast podcast, Wolff said Melania was 'very involved' in Epstein's social circle when she was first introduced to Trump in 1998. According to Wolff, the connection was made through Paolo Zampolli, founder of ID Models, who helped Melania move to the US. 'She's introduced by a model agent, both of whom Trump and Epstein are involved with… Epstein knew her well,' Wolff said. He also questioned Melania's ties to what he called a 'culture of models of indeterminate age.' Earlier reports have linked Zampolli to both Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, who was later convicted for her role in Epstein's sex trafficking network. Melania, however, has denied the Epstein angle. She insists she met Trump at the Kit Kat Klub in New York, where she had gone with a friend. In her book Melania, she describes how Trump, already twice divorced, was there with a date but spent the evening talking to her. 'It was a refreshing departure from the usual superficial small talk,' she writes. Despite Trump's efforts to distance himself from Epstein, a photo from 2000 shows Donald and Melania at Mar-a-Lago alongside Epstein and Maxwell. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Option Trading Mastery: Mr. Gopal Shares His Laxman Rekha Strategy For Free TradeWise Learn More Undo Epstein himself once claimed that he introduced the couple. Donald Trump's links to Jeffrey Epstein came to the spotlight after The Wall Street Journal reported that attorney general Pam Bondi told Trump during a May briefing that his name had come up in justice department files connected to Epstein.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store