LDP Considers Recovery Measures

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is managing to recover the loss of its junior coalition partner, Komeito, to maintain its government. The LDP President, Sanae Takaichi, apologized to the member of her party for losing its partner. The party started efforts to find an alternative partner to secure the seat of prime minister, and hopefully to fulfill their shortage of seats for a majority in both chambers of the Diet to promote their policies. 

“I told that I was responsible for secession of Komeito from the coalition and I apologized,” said Takaichi after LDP plenary meeting by lawmakers on October 14th, held for explaining why Komeito left the coalition. Takaichi promised that the board members of the party would make utmost efforts to get along with other parties which can share an agreement.

 

There were various responses from LDP lawmakers on serious erosion of the leading coalition. Some demanded maintaining moderate relationship with Komeito, even after they left the coalition, considering the coming elections in which local party organizations have cooperated in national elections for decades. Another argument was that the LDP should have accepted Komeito’s offer to approve its bill for reform of political fund, which became the main reason for Komeito to leave the party.

 

The LDP is considering to field candidates in single-seat districts of the House of Representatives, where LDP has been supported Komeito’s candidates without having its own candidates. There are certain number of lawmakers who hoped to maintain cooperative relationship with Komeito in local level.

 

Others had an idea of separating LDP president from the prime minister, which would abandon Takaichi’s premiership, in case LDP would not have a viable view to elect Takaichi for prime minister in the Diet. As long as incumbent prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, and his cabinet do not resign en masse, the Houses do not have to have an election to name a new prime minister.

 

LDP Secretary General, Shun-ichi Suzuki, had a meeting with Secretary General of Democratic Party for the People (DPP), Katsuya Shinba, to offer a formation of cooperative framework, including building of leading coalition, between their parties. Shinba demanded implementation of DPP’s policies, such as raising threshold of imposing income tax, gasoline tax cut and stricter regulation on corporate’s donation.

 

Losing self-confidence on her leadership, Takaichi introduced herself as “a poor woman who may not become a prime minister, even if she made LDP president” in her speech to the start-ups on October 14th. The LDP is also approaching Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin-no Kai), a conservative party close to the LDP in some policies which possesses 35 seats in the House of Representatives.

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