A coalition deal clears the path for LDP President Sanae Takaichi to become Japan’s first female Prime Minister
The political landscape of Japan is on the cusp of a historic shift following an 11th-hour agreement signed between the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the opposition Japan Innovation Party (JIP).
The coalition deal, struck today, clears the path for LDP President Sanae Takaichi to become Japan’s first female Prime Minister in a parliamentary vote scheduled for tomorrow, Tuesday, 21 October.
Exciting Introduction:
Coalition Deal Set to Make Takaichi Japan’s First Female PM
After nearly a fortnight of political uncertainty, the coalition deal set to make Takaichi Japan’s first female PM has delivered a critical mandate to the conservative leader.
The agreement with the major opposition Japan Innovation Party (JIP), also known as Nippon Ishin, provides the necessary parliamentary support to ensure Takaichi’s election and the formation of a stable, albeit minority, government.
The dramatic turn of events, cemented just a day before the crucial parliamentary vote, sees the LDP abandoning its long-standing partnership with the Komeito party to form a new, right-leaning alliance, paving the way for the first female Prime Minister in the nation’s history.
Key Headline Points to the News
• Historic Alliance:
The LDP, which has governed Japan almost continuously since 1955, has officially partnered with the major opposition Japan Innovation Party (JIP) to form a new ruling bloc, marking a major political shift after the breakdown of the LDP’s 26-year alliance with the Komeito party.
• Premiership Assured:
With the JIP’s crucial 35 seats in the Lower House, the coalition now holds 231 seats—two shy of an outright majority—but Takaichi is now virtually certain to win the Prime Minister selection vote on Tuesday, 21 October, due to a fragmented opposition.
• Policy Platform:
The coalition agreement centres on key mutual priorities, including strengthening the Japanese economy, accelerating social security reform, and, notably, advancing the JIP’s core policy of creating a “secondary capital” outside of Tokyo.
• Conservative Vision:
The pact unites the hardline conservative LDP leader, Sanae Takaichi, with the right-wing JIP, which shares her hawkish stance on defence, national security, and constitutional revision, including discussion of amendments to Article 9.
• Market Reacts Positively:
The news ended days of political turbulence and caused the Nikkei stock index to surge over 3 per cent to an all-time high, with investors welcoming the return to political stability and Takaichi’s perceived support for fiscal expansionary policies.
The Path to Power:
An 11th-Hour Agreement
The parliamentary vote to elect the successor to outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had been surrounded by uncertainty after the centrist Komeito party ended its decades-long partnership with the LDP earlier this month.
The political crisis forced the LDP to scramble for a new partner to secure Takaichi’s victory.
The deal was formally signed by LDP President Sanae Takaichi and JIP Co-head Hirofumi Yoshimura in Tokyo on Monday evening.
Speaking at the signing, Takaichi expressed her gratitude for the JIP’s cooperation, emphasising the shared national vision: “I will take today as a starting point to strengthen Japan’s economy.”
Yoshimura, for his part, confirmed that the parties share “basic values” on critical issues such as diplomacy, defence, and security.
The JIP’s decision to back Takaichi guarantees her election, as the Lower House has the final say in selecting the Prime Minister.
Should the first round of voting fail to produce a majority, Takaichi would only need to secure more votes than her rival in a run-off, a scenario the combined strength of the LDP-JIP block makes almost inevitable.
A New Policy Agenda for Japan
The coalition agreement is not merely a numbers game; it outlines a legislative agenda that reflects the priorities of both conservative and reform-minded factions. As conditions for their support, the LDP has agreed to pursue several JIP proposals. Key policy points include:
• Economic Reform:
The LDP has affirmed it will strive to realise the JIP’s proposal of temporarily abolishing the consumption tax on food to ease the burden on consumers.
• Political Reform: A pledge to ban corporate and organisational political donations and a commitment to reduce the number of lawmakers in the Japanese parliament by 10 per cent.
• Constitutional and Defence Focus: The parties have agreed to establish a consultative body to discuss amendments to the Constitution, including the long-debated Article 9 and emergency provisions, with a goal to submit a draft of the emergency provisions to the Diet next year.
This aligns with Takaichi’s stated goal to revise three key security documents to meet a rising demand for defence spending.
• Decentralisation:
The alliance will jointly draft a bill to implement the JIP’s long-standing push to make Osaka a “secondary capital” to decentralise national functions from Tokyo.
Takaichi, a staunch conservative who has served in various ministerial posts, now faces the immediate challenge of addressing Japan’s flatlining economy, a falling population, and the need to bolster the nation’s security posture ahead of a crucial visit by US President Donald Trump next week.
The new minority government, however, will face significant legislative hurdles, needing support from other parties to pass bills in both houses of parliament.
