Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to continue ruling the country despite his party’s heavy loss in the general election.
The country now faces an uncertain political future as the coalition led by the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has lost its majority in parliament, the worst result in more than a decade.
Ishiba was sworn in as prime minister this month after winning the leadership of his party. He had called early elections to seal his mandate.
But in a speech on Monday, he conceded that the LDP was receiving “severe judgment” from voters, adding that his party would “humbly accept” it.
“The Japanese people expressed their strong wish that the LDP would reflect and become a party that acts in accordance with the will of the people,” Ishiba told national broadcaster NHK.
The LDP and its much smaller coalition partner Komeito won a total of 215 seats, which is not enough for the 233-seat majority needed to govern.
It is the first time since 2009 that the LDP has lost its parliamentary majority. The party has ruled Japan almost continuously since 1955.
The result comes after a tumultuous few years for the LDP, which saw a cascade of scandals, widespread voter apathy and record low approval ratings.
The party had seen approval ratings below 20% earlier this year, in the wake of a political fundraising corruption scandal.
Ishiba vowed Monday to implement “fundamental reforms on the issue of money and politics.”
“We must respond to the people’s criticism. That way, I will take responsibility for losing the election,” he said.
He also promised to revitalize rural Japan and tackle inflation.
Japan’s parliament now has 30 days to convene and elect a prime minister. The elected prime minister’s party or coalition will form the government and can do so even without a majority of seats.
Ishiba said there are no plans at this stage to expand his political coalition. This raises the likely possibility that he will retain his premiership and that his coalition will continue to govern Japan without a majority. But it also means that they will no longer have the power to pass laws unilaterally.
Another possibility is for opposition parties to unite to form the government – the largest, the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), won 148 seats, up from 98 previously.
But that is a more unlikely scenario, as Japan’s opposition parties have historically faced difficulty in uniting or convincing voters that they are a viable option for governing.
The CDP had an approval rating of just 6.6% before parliament was dissolved.
Politics in Japan has developed at a rapid pace in recent months.
Ishiba took over as the country’s leader at the beginning of this month following party elections held after his predecessor Fumio Kishida – who had held the role since 2021 – made a surprise decision to step down in August.
The move to call the election came at a time when the LDP is desperate to repair its tarnished public image.
Chief among the series of scandals that have dogged the LDP is its relationship with the controversial Unification Church, described by critics as a “cult,” and the level of influence it had over lawmakers.
Then came the revelations of the slush funds scandal, in which dozens of LDP lawmakers were accused of pocketing proceeds from political fundraising events.
These accusations, which run into the millions of dollars, have led to the dissolution of powerful factions.
Additional reporting by Chika Nakayama
