Tetsuo Saito, leader of Japan’s Komeito Party, is moving to meet with Sanae Takaichi, then-leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, before she assumed the position of Prime Minister on October 10th last year. EPA Yonhap News,
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, ‘As the possibility of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolving the House of Representatives (lower house) next month is being discussed, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party officially reached out to the Komeito Party, which has separated from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, according to reports by the Asahi Shimbun and others on the 13th. If election cooperation is realized, it is assessed that it could pose a threat to the Takaichi administration.’,
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, ‘According to the report, Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party, and Tetsuo Saito, leader of the Komeito Party, agreed during a leaders’ meeting the previous day to collaborate at a higher level in preparation for a possible general election following the dissolution of the House of Representatives.’,
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, ‘The leaders’ meeting was held at the request of the Constitutional Democratic Party. Noda proposed, “The basic policies of both parties align. Let’s cooperate in the election as well,” and it is reported that both parties agreed on the notion that “political vacuum is unacceptable” amidst urgent international affairs and rising inflation issues.’,
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, ‘The extent of cooperation between the Komeito and the Constitutional Democratic Party could significantly affect future election outcomes, Asahi analyzed. It is known that Komeito can mobilize 10,000 to 20,000 votes per single-member district, and supporting the Constitutional Democratic Party could pressure the Liberal Democratic Party. In the 2024 House of Representatives election, the Liberal Democratic Party secured 191 seats while the Constitutional Democratic Party had 148 seats, with a difference of 43 seats. A senior member of the Constitutional Democratic Party told Asahi, “If we can secure Komeito’s cooperation, there is a possibility that the Constitutional Democratic Party could become the leading party.”‘,
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Yoshihiko Noda, leader of Japan’s Constitutional Democratic Party. UPI Yonhap News,
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, ‘However, specific ways of election cooperation remain under consideration and could hinder the alliance depending on future discussions. If the two parties collaborate, there will be a need to coordinate nominations for candidates in four constituencies where Komeito has incumbent lawmakers and proportional representation candidates. Particularly, the Constitutional Democratic Party, having weaker local organizations compared to the Liberal Democratic Party, is expected to face major issues regarding proportional representation nominations. Komeito has maintained an alliance with the Liberal Democratic Party for 26 years, supporting the Liberal Democratic Party in constituencies in exchange for proportional representation seats.’,
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, ‘Komeito is adopting a cautious stance. While there are expectations for uniting a centrist force, there is also anxiety that going into a confrontational structure with the Liberal Democratic Party could lead to the disappearance of the possibility of restoring the coalition relationship. At the local level, movements to maintain cooperation with Komeito by the Liberal Democratic Party have also been detected.’,
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, ‘The likelihood of Komeito immediately restoring a cooperative relationship with the Liberal Democratic Party is considered low. Komeito is critical of the Liberal Democratic Party’s newly formed coalition with the Japan Restoration Party, which is pushing for a reduction in the number of members in the House, and is also concerned about the “slush fund scandal” that centers on Liberal Democratic Party factions. Last October, Komeito cited the apathetic attitude of the Takaichi-led Liberal Democratic Party towards political funding regulations as a factor for leaving the coalition.’,
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, ‘Within the Liberal Democratic Party, there are voices of concern. A mid-level lawmaker of the Liberal Democratic Party criticized Prime Minister Takaichi’s recent actions, saying to Mainichi, “It seems like no prior groundwork has been done.”