Japan is gearing up for a Prime Ministerial election on November 11th, following a significant political upheaval during the recent House of Representatives (Lower House) election. The ruling party has lost its majority, paving the way for a direct confrontation between the current Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and the leader of the main opposition party, Yoshihiko Noda of the Constitutional Democratic Party.
With neither the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) nor the leading opposition holding a majority, pivotal minor parties like the Japan Innovation Party and the Democratic Party for the People have emerged as key players, potentially deciding the outcome of the upcoming Prime Ministerial selection.
Both Ishiba and Noda are preparing for the special session of the National Diet, which will convene to appoint a new Prime Minister. Ishiba, despite significant pressure within his party to resign after an electoral defeat, aims to stay in power, leveraging what he hopes will be a boost in approval should he win the upcoming vote.
Noda, leveraging his past experience as Prime Minister under a previous Democratic Party government, seeks to form alliances with other opposition parties, such as the Japan Innovation Party and the Democratic Party for the People, to mount a challenge against the LDP.
The special session provides the landscape for these maneuvers, with a decisive majority needed between the House and the Senate to elect a Prime Minister. If there is no clear winner, a runoff between the top two candidates will occur, a procedure not seen in Japan since historical precedents in the mid-to-late 20th century.
The political dynamics have seen both major parties attempting to woo minor party support. However, policy differences, particularly concerning constitutional amendments and security strategies, could complicate opposition unity around Noda. Nonetheless, both Ishiba and Noda are actively engaging in discussions and negotiations to build the necessary alliances for the impending vote.