Tokyo: Japan's parliament formally elected Shigeru Ishiba, head of the governing Liberal Democratic Party who is known for his outspoken criticisms against his own party, as the country's new prime minister after his predecessor Fumio Kishida's resignation on Tuesday. Ishiba was chosen as the governing Liberal Democratic Party's leader on Friday to replace Kishida.
The 67-year-old former defence minister won a close-fought contest last week to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The veteran lawmaker, seen as somewhat of a party outsider who failed at four previous leadership bids, has named mix of rivals and allies and to a cabinet of 20 ministers that includes only two women, fewer than half the previous administration.
Among the men are two leadership rivals in key positions, Katsunobu Kato as finance minister and Yoshimasa Hayashi to stay on as chief cabinet secretary, a post that includes the role of top government spokesman, the government announced. A close Ishiba ally, Takeshi Iwaya, a former defence chief, will take over as foreign minister, while Gen Nakatani will return to the defence ministry, a position he held in 2016.
Japan set for general election on October 27
Ishiba had earlier announced that a snap election would be held on October 27, with a ruling party executive saying earlier on Monday that the new leader would dissolve parliament on October 9. The upper house will continue its term as it cannot be dissolved, with the next term finishing in July 2025.
The LDP, which has ruled Japan for almost all of the post-war era, currently holds 258 of 465 seats in the lower house. The main opposition is the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, which currently holds 99 seats. The conservative Japan Innovation Party, which has a stronghold in the Western city of Osaka, currently holds 45 seats, while the LDP's junior coalition partner Komeito has 32.
The focus is on whether the LDP will win the 233 seats needed to keep a lower-house majority by itself. Winning an additional 28 seats would help put the coalition past the 261 seats of an "absolute stable majority", a level that would ensure control over parliamentary committees, making it easier to push through bills.
What is the electoral process in Japan?
October 27 will mark Japan's first snap election since 2021, when Kishida ordered a similar poll after taking over as leader. The campaigning will begin 12 days before the election and will cease by midnight on October 27. Campaigning activities are generally short and restricted by a tight set of electoral regulations.
All 465 seats in the House of Representatives will be up for election, with 289 of the seats being elected in single-member districts (SMDs) through a first-past-the-post system. The remaining 176 seats in Japan's House of Representatives will be elected by proportional representation in 11 large regional constituencies.
At the polling station, voters receive two ballots, one for their local candidate and one where they vote for a party. This means that it’s possible for them to split their ballot if they wish – voting for one party’s candidate in their local district while voting for a different party. Counting of votes in Japanese elections is generally done very quickly, and most results will likely be announced on the evening of October 27.
What are the main issues in Japan?
The scramble to replace Kishida was sparked in August when he announced his intention to step down over a series of scandals that plunged the LDP's rating to record lows, which will be the talking point in the upcoming election. The LDP has witnessed a significant decrease in popularity over the past two years with revelations of links to a church branded a cult by critics and a scandal over unrecorded donations.
Kishida came into the crossfire after the involvement of many of its members and prominent factions in a “slush fund” scandal over kick-backs and under-reported political funds was revealed. Voters are also concerned with rising consumer prices, shortages of staple foods like rice, and security concerns over regional tensions.
But despite its troubles, the party which has ruled Japan for most of the post-war era remains likely to hold on to power in the upcoming election given Japan's weak opposition. LDP lawmakers are banking on Ishiba's public image as an honest and principled politician to get them to win enough seats, but his proposal to create an Asian version of NATO has sparked some concerns.
(with agency input)
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