Japan’s ruling coalition has faced a historic defeat, losing its parliamentary majority for the first time since 2009.
The snap election took place just 26 days after Shigeru Ishiba, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was elected Japan’s 102nd prime minister, alongside coalition partner Komeito, as reported by Kyodo News.
Public broadcaster NHK reported significant changes in Japan’s political landscape. The LDP and Komeito won a combined 215 seats—191 for the LDP and 24 for Komeito—falling short of the 233 seats needed for a majority in the 465-seat lower house.
The main opposition, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), gained substantial ground, securing 148 seats. The Japan Innovation Party became the third-largest party with 38 seats, while the Democratic Party for the People took 28 seats.
Smaller parties, including Reiwa Shinsengumi with nine seats and the Japanese Communist Party with eight, shared the remaining seats, along with 12 independents. Reiwa Shinsengumi notably maintained a pro-Palestine stance both in and outside parliament.
This result marks a major political shift, ending the LDP’s uninterrupted parliamentary control since 2009.
Addressing the loss, Ishiba called it the “biggest blow” to the ruling party, acknowledging that the LDP failed to respond to public sentiment, especially regarding a political funds scandal that had marred its image. He stated the results reflect “a challenging situation” for his party.
For this election, over 45,000 polling stations were set up nationwide for around 105 million eligible voters, though voter turnout was estimated at about 53 percent, a 2.8 percent drop from the previous election.
With over 1,300 candidates vying for 465 seats—289 in single-seat districts and 176 through proportional representation—Prime Minister Ishiba had campaigned on addressing inflation and strengthening Japan’s defense, though public discontent over recent scandals remained a key challenge.
