Japan’s ruling coalition, comprising the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner Komeito, is set to lose its majority in the House of Councillors following Sunday’s 27th upper house election, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported on Monday.
This is the first time since its founding in 1955 that the LDP has failed to secure a majority in both chambers of the National Diet.
After poll results were released on Saturday evening, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed his intention to remain in office.
“The situation is severe. We must accept the results with humility and sincerity,” Ishiba said during the NHK broadcast.
As of early Monday morning, opposition parties—including the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the Japanese Communist Party, Japan Innovation Party, the Democratic Party for the People, and the Social Democratic Party—along with independent candidates, had won a combined 76 seats. Together with 48 uncontested seats, the opposition bloc secured a total of 124 seats—surpassing the majority threshold in the 248-seat chamber.
In the general election for the House of Representatives held last October, the ruling coalition also failed to secure a majority, resulting in a minority government.
Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama said on a television program Sunday that he felt a strong sense of responsibility following media projections indicating the ruling coalition’s loss in the upper house election.
“I feel a great sense of responsibility,” Moriyama said, adding that he would consult with Ishiba on how to respond to the situation.
