Japan’s parliament begins voting to elect PM
Tokyo: Japan’s parliament started voting to elect the country’s prime minister on Tuesday, with ruling Liberal Democratic Party leader Sanae Takaichi expected to secure the post with support from new coalition partner the Japan Innovation Party.
Earlier in the day, outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned with his cabinet, marking an end to the administration that took office just over a year ago.
At an extraordinary cabinet meeting held shortly before 9 a.m. local time, ministers submitted their letters of resignation, and the Ishiba cabinet formally stepped down.
After the prime ministerial vote, Sanae Takaichi will finalise cabinet appointments, and the chief cabinet secretary is scheduled to announce the lineup, Xinhua news agency reported.
Takaichi is also expected to hold a press conference upon assuming office to explain her policy direction and rationale behind key cabinet picks.
The LDP has formed a tactical alliance with the Osaka-based right-wing Japan Innovation Party, also known as Ishin no Kai. This coalition is expected to secure Takaichi’s election as prime minister later that day, largely due to the fragmented state of the opposition.
Despite this alliance, Takaichi’s coalition lacks an outright majority in both houses of parliament. This means her government will need the support of other opposition factions to pass legislation, raising concerns about the stability and longevity of her administration.
Once elected, 64-year-old Takaichi is expected to appoint a Cabinet filled with close allies of Taro Aso, one of the LDP’s most influential figures, along with others who supported her during the party leadership race.
Takaichi has been known for resisting progressive reforms, particularly regarding gender equality. She has opposed same-sex marriage, supports male-only succession in the imperial family, and does not back legal changes allowing married couples to have separate surnames.
Leaders of three major opposition parties, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Democratic Party for the People and the Japan Innovation Party, held talks on Wednesday.
The three parties hold a relatively large number of seats in the Diet, Japan’s parliament. If they could unify to field a joint Opposition candidate for the prime ministerial vote, they could potentially prevent Takaichi from becoming prime minister. However, the three parties failed to reach a policy consensus during the meeting.
Meanwhile, the Japan Innovation Party held policy discussions with the ruling LDP for two consecutive days on Thursday and Friday, with an eye toward forming a coalition.
The party’s co-leader, Fumitake Fujita, told the media on Friday that the consultations with the LDP “moved forward considerably” and they will make “final arrangements” toward an agreement on cooperation, adding that his party will end talks with the other two major opposition parties.
The largest opposition, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said Friday that in light of the Japan Innovation Party’s decision, it is now considering having its members cast ballots for its leader Yoshihiko Noda in next week’s prime ministerial vote.