Japan Holds General Election on Sunday
Polls show the Liberal Democratic Party risks losing its majority, possibly turning the party’s leader into another short-term prime minister
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s term in office may be short-lived and his Liberal Democratic Party could lose its majority, according to recent polls by the Yomiuri Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun daily newspapers, Reuters reported. A general election in Japan will be held on Sunday. Despite projected losses in parliament's powerful lower house, the LDP will likely remain in power with its Komeito coalition partner, Reuters reported. Kishida has reportedly set a coalition goal of capturing a majority 233 seats in the 465-seat lower chamber, far short of the 276 seats held by the LDP before the election was called. Falling well short of the goal could lead to an LDP effort to oust Kishida before next year’s upper house vote, according to Reuters. Kishida has been prime minister since October 4 after parliament voted him into office following a September 29 runoff election to become leader of the LDP. Sunday’s election is the country’s most uncertain since the LDP returned to power under Shinzo Abe in 2012, a win that started the longest premiership in Japan's history and halted years of policy gridlock caused by short-term premierships. Abe resigned last year after falling ill and was succeeded by Yoshihide Suga, who stepped down in September due to disapproval of his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. About 40% of Japan’s electorate are reportedly still undecided. Coupled with one of the lowest expected turnouts in the post-war era, the outcome of the election is far from certain. If elected, Kishida is expected to push to restart the country’s nuclear power plants that were closed after the Fukushima disaster, according to Reuters.