Japan's parliament re-elected Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Monday, despite his governing coalition suffering its worst election loss in over a decade. Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner Komeito lost their majority in the 465-seat lower house in the 27 October election, amid voter anger over financial misconduct and a perceived inadequate response.
In a special parliamentary session required within 30 days of a general election, Ishiba defeated top opposition leader Yoshihiko Noda 221-160 in the first runoff in 30 years. Most of his previous cabinet members will be reappointed, though three who lost their seats or were affected by the results will be replaced.
Since the election loss, Ishiba has refused to step down and expressed willingness to cooperate with additional coalition partners to boost stability. Noda, head of the centrist Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, has sought unsuccessfully to form an opposition coalition. Ishiba will need opposition consent on policies including the budget and other legislation.
Ishiba is eyeing the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), whose seats quadrupled to 28 under popular leader Yuichiro Tamaki. A Harvard-educated former finance ministry bureaucrat, Tamaki has proposed raising the basic tax-free income allowance and increasing take-home wages, attracting low-income earners and younger voters. He only wants policy cooperation, not a coalition, to leverage his party's standing ahead of the next election. Tamaki recently admitted to an extramarital affair exposed by a magazine, adding to political uncertainty.
Ishiba's government is preparing for his trip to ASEAN and G20 summits later this month, as well as a possible meeting with US president-elect Donald Trump on his way home.
