In Japan’s lower house election, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost its majority. The LDP won far fewer seats than in the previous election and failed to maintain a majority even with its coalition partner, Komeito.
As of the latest count, the LDP-Komeito coalition secured 208 seats, while opposition parties collectively won 235 seats. A majority in the 465-seat lower house requires at least 233 seats.
Voting took place from 7 AM to 8 PM on Sunday, October 27 (local time), with 20.95 million voters participating. Vote counting began immediately after polls closed, and results started to roll in.
Japan’s public broadcaster noted that in the previous election, the LDP alone secured 247 seats. However, this time, even with its coalition, it failed to reach the required majority. The opposition, led by the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), made significant gains.
The election follows last month’s selection of Shigeru Ishiba as the new LDP leader. Just three days after taking office as prime minister, Ishiba dissolved the lower house and called an early election.
Media reports suggest that Ishiba’s efforts to address financial scandals within the LDP created discontent among voters. Many criticized him for favoring influential party leaders as candidates, which led to a rapid decline in his public support.
Analysts speculate that Ishiba may become the shortest-serving prime minister in Japan’s post-World War II history, depending on the final election results and their aftermath.
