Japan's ruling coalition suffers setback in upper house election

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  • Japan's ruling coalition suffers setback in upper house election

Japan's 27th House of Councillors election concluded on Monday morning with a stunning defeat for the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its partner Komeito.

Of the seats contested, the LDP won just 39, while Komeito secured eight. Even when combined with their uncontested seats, the two parties fell short of the 125-seat threshold required for a majority in the 248-seat upper house, marking the first time since the LDP's founding in 1955 that the ruling bloc has lost majority control in both houses of parliament.

The Ishiba administration now faces mounting pressure. With both chambers under minority control, it must seek cooperation from opposition parties to pass legislation and advance its agenda. The weakened mandate also limits Japan's diplomatic flexibility, particularly in negotiations with the United States.

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