The Liberal Democrats hold a single majority in the House of Representatives elections
Prime Minister Kishida’s ‘win-win’ momentum in government affairs
In Japan’s House of Representatives elections held on the 31st of last month, the LDP won a single majority, giving Fumio Kishida’s cabinet a boost in state management.
In the absence of an alternative opposition party, the Liberal Democratic Party’s dominant system was still strong, and among the opposition parties, the right-wing Japan Restoration Society made strides. Foreign and security policies promoted by the hardliners of the LDP are also expected to gain strength.
Prime Minister Kishida (pictured) held a press conference at the LDP headquarters on the 1st and said, “It was a very difficult election, but the will of the people to continue creating the future of this country under the stable politics of the LDP and Komeito governments has emerged.” As long as the public’s approval has been confirmed for the ‘Kishida route’, the plan will be pushed forward.
The LDP won 261 seats in this election, securing the ‘absolutely stable majority’ seats beyond a single majority (233 seats). The ruling party monopolized the 17 standing chairpersons and gained a majority of seats in all standing committees. It was 15 seats fewer than the 276 seats before the election, but it was a better result than the observation that a single majority could be at stake.
Accordingly, the LDP is expected to push forward with the general election pledge to increase defense spending from 1% to 2% of gross domestic product and to give the Self-Defense Forces the ability to preemptively strike enemy bases. The ruling coalition party, the Komeito, has a negative stance on these policies, but as the Liberal Democratic Party secured an absolute stable majority of seats, it was able to handle the bill alone.
It has also become possible to propose amendments to Article 9 (Peace Constitution) of the Constitution, which contains the principle of total defense that Japan will only exercise defense in case of attack from other countries. This is because the number of seats won by the Liberal Democratic Party (261 seats), the Japan Restoration Society (41 seats), and the People’s Democratic Party (11 seats), who agreed to amend the constitution due to the rise of the Japan Restoration Council, exceeded the quorum of the constitutional amendment proposal (310 seats).
However, in practice, it appears that the constitutional amendment is difficult to achieve. The ruling coalition party, the Gongmyung Party, strongly opposes the constitutional amendment, and there are also those within the Liberal Democratic Party and the People’s Democratic Party who oppose it. In addition, the Kishida cabinet must bear harsh criticism and retaliation from neighboring countries such as South Korea and China when it revises the peace constitution.
It is noteworthy whether Prime Minister Kishida’s signature policy of ‘new Japanese capitalism’ will also gain momentum. Unlike Abenomics, which focuses on growth, it is characterized by a plan to catch both rabbits in terms of growth and distribution. Prime Minister Kishida proposed on the 26th of last month to establish a social security system for all generations and to improve the treatment of irregular workers. However, they have expressed displeasure over the tax increase without suggesting a specific plan for raising financial resources.
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