Japan: Red light for Takaichi's election as prime minister... LDP-Komeito coalition collapses

Komeito in Japan has decided to withdraw from the coalition government led by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

According to foreign media such as NHK and the Mainichi Shimbun on the 10th, Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito met for about an hour and 30 minutes that afternoon with new LDP president Sanae Takaichi, then held a press conference saying, "Political funding issues are Komeito's top priority," and "We will suspend the coalition with the LDP for now and put an end to our relationship to date."

He added, "If the LDP does not provide clear and concrete cooperation on our demands, making reform impossible, we cannot support President Takaichi in the prime minister nomination vote."

Reuters reported that this has made Takaichi's chances of taking power uncertain. If a situation in which the ruling party is in the minority solidifies, it would make stable governance, such as passing the budget and major legislation, difficult, so even though the LDP is the largest party, it would be hard to guarantee Takaichi's election in the upcoming Diet prime minister nomination vote.

The alliance known as the 'LDP-Komeito coalition' had been maintained for 26 years since 1999. Currently, the LDP holds 296 of the 713 seats combined in the House of Representatives (lower house) and the House of Councillors (upper house), and Komeito holds 45 seats.

On the surface, the two sides clashed over political funding issues. The LDP has been embroiled in multiple political funding scandals, and the centrist-conservative Komeito says it has also been harmed by them.

According to the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Komeito demanded stronger regulations that would significantly restrict political organizations that can receive donations from corporations and groups to party leader offices and similar branches. However, the LDP opposed this, saying that if it accepted Komeito's reform plan, about 8,000 local party branches led by local assembly members, unlike Diet members, would be unable to receive donations from corporations and groups.

There is also analysis that the emergence of Takaichi, a hardline conservative who has been called "the female Abe," itself acted as a catalyst for the coalition's collapse.

Park Su-rim, Hankyung.com reporter paksr365@hankyung.com