In Japan, according to exit polls, the ruling coalition is losing its majority amid the need to conclude a customs agreement with the United States
Kyiv • UNN
Japan's ruling coalition, according to exit polls, is losing its majority in the upper house of parliament, putting pressure on Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's government. This comes ahead of the deadline for concluding a customs agreement with the United States, which could lead to political turmoil.
In Japan, according to exit poll data, the ruling coalition is likely to lose its majority in the upper house of parliament. This potentially threatens political turmoil as the deadline for concluding customs tariffs with the United States approaches, writes UNN with reference to Reuters.
Details
While the voting results do not directly determine whether Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's shaky minority government will fall, they put pressure on the embattled leader, who also lost control of the more influential lower house in October.
Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner Komeito needed 50 seats to retain control of the 248-seat upper house in an election where half the seats were contested. They are projected to win between 32 and 51 seats.
This is according to the results of an exit poll conducted by public broadcaster NHK.
Other broadcasters predicted the ruling coalition would have 41-43 seats. If the coalition gets fewer than 46 seats, it will be its worst result since its formation in 1999.
This comes on top of the worst result in 15 years in the October lower house election. That vote made Ishiba's administration vulnerable to a no-confidence vote and calls from his own party for a change in leadership.
Opposition parties advocating for tax cuts and tougher immigration policies appear to be making gains, exit polls showed, as rising consumer prices, particularly a jump in the cost of the staple food — rice, are a key issue for voters.
The LDP has largely played defense in this election, being on the wrong side of a key issue for voters. Polls show that most households want a consumption tax cut to combat inflation, which the LDP opposes. Opposition parties have capitalized on this and pushed this message
The LDP calls for fiscal restraint, focusing on the highly volatile government bond market as investors worry about Japan's ability to refinance the world's largest debt pile.
Customs Agreement with the US Adding to the anxiety surrounding the world's fourth-largest economy, Japan faces an August 1 deadline to conclude a trade agreement with the United States, or face harsh tariffs in its largest export market.
The populist Sanseito party seemed to be one of the main winners. It is projected to win 10-15 seats in the chamber, compared to only one seat it had previously.
Sanseito's "Japan First" campaign and warnings of a "silent invasion" of foreigners have brought once marginal political rhetoric into the mainstream.
I'm a graduate student, but there are no Japanese people around me. They are all foreigners. When I look at how compensation and money are spent on foreigners, I think Japanese people are a bit despised
Addition
Japan has recognized China's military cooperation with Russia as a serious security threat that could change the Indo-Pacific region. Beijing criticized the report, calling it a "misconception of China."