Japan’s unstable political landscape is expected to cast doubt over its diplomatic commitments and could hinder progress in its trilateral summit with China and South Korea, analysts have observed.
Uncertainties are mounting as the path to the Japanese premiership for recently elected Liberal Democratic Party leader Sanae Takaichi has been complicated by the abrupt exit of the LDP’s junior coalition partner, Komeito.
Takaichi, aiming to be Japan’s first female prime minister, remains short of the 233 votes she needs in the country’s House of Representatives.
But an alliance with Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) and its 35 seats could bring her to 231 votes, just two shy of the majority threshold – a scenario that would likely allow her to secure victory in a run-off vote if an initial ballot failed to produce an outright winner.
As the LDP and Takaichi look for more support, analysts have described Japan’s political landscape as more turbulent and fragmented than ever.
They added that regardless of who became the next prime minister, no single political party would be able to maintain a stable government, which in turn would undermine Japan’s ability to take part effectively in major diplomatic events and could stall momentum in the country’s trilateral framework with China and South Korea.
