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"Next Year's News This Week" SNS: Asia Letter: Q4 2025 AMUR TIGER BACK FROM THE BRINK By Scott Foster _______ Ishiba Through the Revolving Door Faced with an unreliable American president, a difficult economic situation aggravated by his punitive tariffs and extortionate demands for investment, and a united front between China, North Korea, and Russia, Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has chosen to spend a few weeks reorganizing itself instead of governing the country. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba was prevailed upon to step down to take responsibility for the LDP's defeat in the July election, when it lost its majority in the Upper House of the Diet. Last October, the party lost its majority in the more powerful Lower House. This highly unusual situation has tipped the LDP into panic mode. The LDP is now trying to unify its factions and make a comeback against two new parties: the populist Kokumin (Democratic Party for the People) and the anti-immigrant Sanseito, which campaigns on the Trump-inspired slogan "Japanese First." Incidentally, Charlie Kirk visited Japan (and South Korea) a few days before he was assassinated. In Tokyo, he spoke at an event hosted by Sanseito. Sohei Kamiya, Sanseito's founder and leader, said he was "stunned and heartbroken" by the news of Kirk's death, adding: "We had promised to meet again at his year-end event and had begun to imagine the work we would take on together." Most LDP supporters are old. Most Kokumin and Sanseito supporters are young. The LDP is a "big tent" party - trying to satisfy everyone but sacrificing public welfare in order to contain the budget deficit while boosting defense spending. Kokumin and Sanseito are one- or two-issue parties focused on young people who find it hard to make a living and cannot afford to buy a home or raise a family. In July, their combined vote exceeded that of the LDP. An election to select a new LDP party president has been scheduled for October 4. After that, a special session of the Diet will choose a new prime minister. Opposition parties are criticizing the LDP for creating a political vacuum in the midst of crisis, while the business press is writing about a vacuum in economic policy. |
