New Delhi: Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on October 28 vowed he would stay in office as the head of a minority government, despite his party’s worst election result in 15 years.
The Liberal Democratic party (LDP) and its junior coalition partner Komeito have failed to secure a majority in Japan’s Lower House in the snap polls called by Ishiba after he took office in October 1. The opposition Constitutional Democratic party (CDP) is understood to be the de facto beneficiary of public anger against a political funding scandal, although it hasn’t got a clear mandate either.
The LDP and Komeito won 215 seats. They need 233 to retain majority in the Lower House. Before the polls, the coalition had 279. CDP’s seat count has increased from 98 to 148, according to reports.
Ishiba’s party has governed Japan nearly non-stop since 1955, with a break for three years after 2009.
What the PM said
“I want to fulfill my duty by protecting people’s lives, protecting Japan,” Ishiba told reporters on the back of projections that predicted a humiliating loss for him.
He said the biggest election factor was upset over the slush-fund scandal that sank his predecessor Fumio Kishida. It saw party members pocket funding from fund-raising events, but the money was never declared.
“I am keenly aware that the biggest factor was the failure to report on political funds, and the suspicion, mistrust and anger of the people had not been erased over the issue of money and politics,” said Ishiba.
He promised strict reforms on money and politics.
Japanese media had speculated before the election that a poor result for the LDP could see Ishiba potentially quit, making him the nation’s shortest-serving prime minister in the post-war period.
Japan is the world’s fourth-largest economy. The imbroglio has left the yen slipping to a three-month low.
With inputs from DW.
