Japanese lawmakers gathering for a 5-day extended assembly at the parliament in Tokyo
Japan's Upper House Shakes Up After Election Loss for Ruling Coalition
Japan's parliament, known as the Diet, convened for a five-day extraordinary session on Friday, marking a significant shift in the country's political landscape. This session is the first since the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its ally Komeito lost their combined majority in the House of Councillors in the July 20 election for the upper chamber.
The LDP, despite remaining the single largest party with 39 seats, no longer holds the majority. The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) follows closely with 22 seats, while the up-and-coming populist right-wing party Sanseito made significant gains, securing over 10 seats. This growth in influence for Sanseito means that the party can now submit bills in the chamber.
In the same meeting, Tetsuro Fukuyama, a former secretary-general of the CDPJ, was elected as vice president of the Upper House. Manabu Matsuda from Sanseito was appointed chair of the Upper House Discipline Committee, a standing committee. However, details about the distribution of seats in other key standing committees, such as the Budget Committee, remain unclear.
Masakazu Sekiguchi, the LDP's incumbent president of the Upper House, was re-elected in a plenary meeting on Friday morning. He will continue to hold the position, maintaining the LDP's presence in the chamber's leadership. The LDP's Yusuke Nakanishi was chosen as head of the Budget Committee in the Upper House, ensuring the party's control over this key committee.
It is worth noting that this is the first time an up-and-coming party has obtained the post of committee chair in the Upper House. The precise distribution of seats in the House of Councillors' standing committees following the election is not available in the search results and would need to be verified from official parliamentary documentation.
Despite the loss of their majority, the LDP's Takao Makino retained the post of chief of the Rules and Administration Committee in the Upper House, indicating that the party still holds significant influence in the chamber. The two key Upper House standing committees, Rules and Administration, and Budget, will continue to be chaired by LDP lawmakers.
This extraordinary session of the Diet promises to be a pivotal moment in Japan's political history, with the opposition parties poised to exert more influence and the ruling coalition adjusting to its new reality.
- In the extra ordinary session of the Diet, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) and the up-and-coming populist right-wing party Sanseito, known for their significant gains, will present their policy-and-legislation in the General News, as they can now submit bills in the House of Councillors.
- For the first time, an up-and-coming party, Sanseito, has obtained the post of committee chair in the Upper House, changing the political landscape of Japan, as they continue to exert influence and the ruling coalition, despite maintaining some leadership positions, adjusts to the new dynamics in photojournalism, reflecting the changes in the country's politics.
