Komeito‘s Departure complicates Takaichi‘s Path to Becoming Japan‘s First Female Prime Minister
TOKYO – Sanae Takaichi’s campaign to become Japan’s next prime minister faced a significant setback Thursday as Komeito, a key coalition partner of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), announced it would leave the alliance, according to reports from NHK.The move throws uncertainty into the parliamentary vote and forces Takaichi to seek support from alternative sources to secure a majority.
The withdrawal of Komeito, traditionally a stabilizing force in Japanese politics, doesn’t necessarily preclude Takaichi from winning the premiership, but it dramatically increases the challenge. While she remains the frontrunner, her path now requires navigating a more fragmented political landscape and forging new alliances on a bill-by-bill basis. The LDP and Komeito currently hold 215 seats in the 465-seat chamber, falling short of the 233 needed for a majority. Komeito’s exit leaves the LDP with 191 seats.
Nomura Securities Chief Strategist Naka Matsuzawa believes Takaichi is still on course to become Japan’s first female prime minister, despite the coalition shift.”Temporarily, her government will have to shop for different partners depending on [the] bills it wants to pass,” Matsuzawa saeid. The opposition parties are currently not unified around an alternative candidate.
Komeito’s decision stems from disagreements over policy and strategy, and the party has stated it will not support Takaichi in the upcoming parliamentary vote, Reuters reported, citing comments from a party official.
Takaichi’s potential premiership arrives during a period of economic difficulty for Japan and heightened geopolitical tensions. She is a staunch advocate for a more assertive foreign policy, including a hardline stance towards China and a potential revision of Article 9 of Japan’s pacifist constitution. Her past visits to the Yasukuni shrine, a site seen by some as glorifying Japan’s wartime past, have already drawn criticism from China and South Korea. Her policy platform largely aligns with the conservative, pro-abenomics agenda that has characterized the last decade in Japanese politics.
