Japan PM hangs on after election debacle
TOKYO (July 21): Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba clung on Monday even after an election debacle left his coalition without a majority in the upper house, as painful new US tariffs loom.
In Sunday's election Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed almost continuously since 1955, and its partner Komeito fell a projected three seats short of retaining a majority in the upper house.
Voters angry at inflation turned to other parties, notably the 'Japanese first' Sanseito, which made strong gains with its 'anti-globalist' drive echoing the agenda of populist parties elsewhere.
'I even think (the LDP) should have lost more,' 25-year-old Kazuyo Nanasawa, who voted for a small ultra-conservative party, told AFP, adding that Ishiba should quit.
The debacle comes only months after Ishiba's coalition was forced into a minority government in the more powerful lower house, in the LDP's worst result in 15 years.
But asked late Sunday if he intended to remain in office, Ishiba told local media: 'That's right.'
'Although I'm acutely aware of our grave responsibility for the election results, in order to not let politics become stagnant, I believe I must fulfil my responsibility as the party with the most votes and to the people of the country, while listening carefully and sincerely to the voices of the local people,' Ishiba told a news conference on Monday.
He called the election result 'extremely regrettable'.
It was unclear in any case who might step up to replace Ishiba given the LDP's frequent changes of leader in recent years.
LDP supporter Takeshi Nemoto, 80, told AFP that a new leadership contest 'would be a losing battle' for the party, further complicating tariff talks with US President Donald Trump's administration.
'Diplomacy is under pressure at the moment,' agreed Shuhei Aono, 67. 'Who is going to take care of it? I think (Ishiba) cannot easily withdraw.'
– 'Japanese first' –
The election saw 125 seats in the 248-seat upper house contested.
The coalition needed 50 of those but local media reported they only won 47, with the LDP winning 39 and Komeito eight, giving them 122 deputies.
Second-placed was the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), which won 22 contested seats, followed by the Democratic Party For the People (DPP) with 17.
The right-wing Sanseito party won 14 seats.
Sanseito wants 'stricter rules and limits' on immigration, opposes 'radical' gender policies, and wants a rethink on decarbonisation and vaccines.
It was forced last week to deny any links to Moscow — which has backed populist parties elsewhere — after a candidate was interviewed by Russian state media.
The opposition is fragmented, and chances are slim that the parties can form an alternative government, Hidehiro Yamamoto, politics and sociology professor at the University of Tsukuba, told AFP.
Expanding the coalition would be difficult, with the DPP the most likely partner 'on the condition that (the government) delivers some of the positive fiscal measures, such as tax cuts,' he said.
More likely is that Ishiba will continue needing opposition support on a case-by-case basis to pass legislation.
– Trump tariffs –
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.
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.
On Monday tariffs envoy Ryosei Akazawa left on his eighth visit to Washington.
'We will achieve an agreement that is beneficial to both Japan and the US, based on the concept of investment rather than tariffs,' said Ishiba. – AFP election Japan Shigeru Ishiba US Tariffs
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
40 minutes ago
- The Star
PM hangs on after election debacle
Seeking support: Ishiba bowing during a news conference at the party's headquarters in Tokyo. — Bloomberg Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba clung on even after an election debacle left his coalition without a majority in the upper house, as painful new US tariffs loom. In Sunday's election, Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed almost continuously since 1955, and its partner Komeito fell a projected three seats short of retaining a majority in the upper house. Voters angry at inflation turned to other parties, notably the 'Japanese first' Sanseito, which made strong gains with its 'anti-globalist' drive echoing the agenda of populist parties elsewhere. 'I even think (the LDP) should have lost more,' 25-year-old Kazuyo Nanasawa, who voted for a small ultra-conservative party, said, adding that Ishiba should quit. The debacle comes only months after Ishiba's coalition was forced into a minority government in the more powerful lower house, in the LDP's worst result in 15 years. But asked late Sunday if he intended to remain in office, Ishiba told local media: 'That's right.' 'Although I'm acutely aware of our grave responsibility for the election results, in order to not let politics become stagnant, I believe I must fulfil my responsibility as the party with the most votes and to the people of the country, while listening carefully and sincerely to the voices of the local people,' Ishiba told a news conference yesterday. He called the election result 'extremely regrettable'. It was unclear in any case who might step up to replace Ishiba given the LDP's frequent changes of leader in recent years. LDP supporter Takeshi Nemoto, 80, said that a new leadership contest 'would be a losing battle' for the party, further complicating tariff talks with US President Donald Trump's administration. 'Diplomacy is under pressure at the moment,' agreed Shuhei Aono, 67. 'Who is going to take care of it? I think (Ishiba) cannot easily withdraw.' The election saw 125 seats in the 248-seat upper house contested. The coalition needed 50 of those but local media reported they only won 47, with the LDP winning 39 and Komeito eight, giving them 122 deputies. Second-placed was the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), which won 22 contested seats, followed by the Democratic Party For the People (DPP) with 17. The right-wing Sanseito party won 14 seats. Sanseito wants 'stricter rules and limits' on immigration, opposes 'radical' gender policies and wants a rethink on decarbonisation and vaccines. It was forced last week to deny any links to Moscow – which has backed populist parties elsewhere – after a candidate was interviewed by Russian state media. The opposition is fragmented, and chances are slim that the parties can form an alternative government, Hidehiro Yamamoto, politics and sociology professor at the University of Tsukuba, said. Expanding the coalition would be difficult, with the DPP the most likely partner 'on the condition that (the government) delivers some of the positive fiscal measures, such as tax cuts,' he said. More likely is that Ishiba will continue needing opposition support on a case-by-case basis to pass legislation. — AFP
New Straits Times
44 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Japan PM Ishiba vows to stay on after bruising election defeat
TOKYO: Japanese Premier Shigeru Ishiba vowed to remain in his post on Monday after his ruling coalition suffered a bruising defeat in upper house elections, prompting some in his own party to doubt his leadership as the opposition weighed a no-confidence motion. The embattled prime minister told a news conference he would remain in office to oversee tariff talks with the US and other pressing matters, such as rising consumer prices that are straining the world's fourth-largest economy. "I will stay in office and do everything in my power to chart a path toward resolving these challenges," Ishiba said, adding that he intended to speak directly with US President Donald Trump as soon as possible and deliver tangible results. Speaking in an interview with CNBC on Monday, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was asked about the Japanese election and the effect it could have on trade negotiations. He said the Trump administration was less concerned with Japan's domestic politics than with getting the best deal for Americans. A spokesperson for the US State Department called the US–Japan alliance the "cornerstone of peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific and across the world" and said it had "never been stronger." It said the US looked forward to working with Japan on a broad agenda of bilateral, regional and global issues, including the economic relationship. Analysts say Ishiba's days may be numbered, however, having also lost control of the more powerful lower house in elections last year and shedding votes on Sunday to opposition parties pledging to cut taxes and tighten immigration policies. "The political situation has become fluid and could lead to a leadership change or the reshuffling of the coalition in coming months," said Oxford Economics' lead Japan economist Norihiro Yamaguchi. Investors fear Ishiba's administration will now be more beholden to opposition parties advocating for tax cuts and welfare spending that the world's most indebted country can ill afford. The 68-year-old leader said he had no plans to expand his coalition but would work with opposition parties to address voter concerns about inflation. He cautioned, though, that tax changes would not deliver the immediate help households need. Markets in Japan were closed for a holiday on Monday, although the yen strengthened and Nikkei futures rose slightly, as the election results appeared to be priced in. Yields on Japanese government bonds sold off sharply ahead of the ballot as polls showed the ruling coalition – which had been calling for fiscal restraint – was likely to lose its majority in the upper house. Adding to the economic anxiety, Ishiba's lack of progress in averting tariffs set to be imposed by its biggest trading partner, the US, on August 1 appears to have frustrated some voters. "Had the ruling party resolved even one of these issues, its approval rate would have gone up, but we didn't feel anything and it seems like the US would continue to push us around," Hideaki Matsuda, a 60-year-old company manager, said outside Tokyo's bustling Shinjuku station on Monday morning. Japan's chief tariff negotiator Ryosei Akazawa departed for trade talks in Washington on Monday morning, his eighth visit in three months. FAR-RIGHT GAINS Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has ruled Japan for most of its post-war history, and coalition partner Komeito returned 47 seats, short of the 50 seats it needed to ensure a majority in the 248-seat upper chamber in an election where half the seats were up for grabs. The leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party (CDPJ), Yoshihiko Noda, said on Sunday he is considering submitting a vote of no-confidence in the Ishiba administration as the result showed it did not have voters' trust. The CDPJ returned 22 seats in the ballot, finishing second. Some senior LDP lawmakers were also quietly voicing doubts over whether Ishiba should stay, according to local media reports on Monday. Among them was former prime minister Taro Aso, leader of a powerful faction within the ruling party, who said he "couldn't accept" Ishiba staying on, Japan's TV Asahi reported. Senior party members including Aso met on Sunday evening to discuss whether Ishiba should resign, Sankei newspaper reported. "It is natural that there are various opinions within the party," Ishiba said, when asked about the members of his party calling for his resignation. The far-right Sanseito party clocked the biggest gains of the night, adding 14 seats to one elected previously. Launched on YouTube during the pandemic by spreading conspiracy theories about vaccinations and a cabal of global elites, the party found wider appeal with its 'Japanese First' campaign and warnings about a "silent invasion" of foreigners. Dragging once-fringe rhetoric into the mainstream, its success could mark the arrival of populist politics in Japan, which until now has failed to take root as it has in the US and western Europe. Sanseito's party leader Sohei Kamiya, a former supermarket manager and English teacher, has previously pointed to Germany's AfD and Reform UK as a possible blueprint for future success.
The Star
7 hours ago
- The Star
Ukraine conducts widespread searches, arrests of anti-corruption officials
KYIV (Reuters) -Ukrainian security services arrested officials from the country's main anti-corruption agency on Monday and conducted dozens of searches, in a crackdown that the agency said went too far and had effectively shut down its entire mission. The SBU security body said it had arrested one official at the National Anti-corruption Bureau of Ukraine as a suspected Russian spy and another over suspected business ties to Russia. Other NABU officials had ties to a fugitive Ukrainian politician's banned party, the SBU said. But NABU, which has embarrassed senior government officials with corruption allegations, said the crackdown went beyond state security issues to cover unrelated allegations such as years-old traffic accidents. Anti-corruption watchdog Transparency International said the searches showed that the authorities were exerting "massive pressure" on Ukraine's corruption fighters. NABU said at least 70 searches had been conducted by various Ukrainian law enforcement and security agencies in connection with 15 of its employees, and that these had taken place without the approval of a court. "In the vast majority of cases, the grounds for these actions are the involvement of individuals in road traffic accidents," the statement said, although it also added that some of the cases were about links to Russia. Although the risk of Russian infiltration "remained relevant," this could not be a justification to "halt the work of the entire institution", NABU said in a statement. 'PRESSURE' Anti-corruption campaigners have been alarmed since Vitaliy Shabunin, a top anti-corruption activist, was charged earlier this month with fraud and evading military service. Shabunin and his allies have cast those charges as politically motivated retribution from President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office for exposing corrupt officials. On Monday, Shabunin condemned the searches of NABU personnel. Zelenskiy's office denies that prosecutions in Ukraine are politically motivated. The SBU said it had arrested a mole working for Russian intelligence inside NABU, who had passed information to his handler on at least 60 occasions. Separately, it had detained a senior NABU detective on suspicion of acting as an intermediary in his father's sales of industrial hemp to Russia. A third SBU statement said some senior NABU officials had ties to lawmaker Fedir Khrystenko, believed to have fled Ukraine after the Russian invasion in 2022. A separate law enforcement body, the State Bureau of Investigations, said it had served suspicion notices to three NABU employees for road accidents that had resulted in injuries. NABU said the road traffic accident cases were between two and four years old. Transparency International said conducting the searches without court orders "demonstrates the massive nature of the pressure by the SBU and (Prosecutor General's Office) on anti-corruption law enforcement agencies". It called on Zelenskiy to guarantee the independence of Ukraine's anti-corruption bodies. (Reporting by Max HunderEditing by Peter Graff)
