Japanese legislative body assembles for a 5-day emergency session in the parliament
In a significant shift for Japanese politics, the July 20, 2025 election for the upper chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament, has resulted in a fragmented political landscape. The ruling coalition composed of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its partner Komeito lost their majority in the 248-member House of Councillors.
The LDP won 39 seats, down 13 from the last election, and Komeito won 8 seats, down 6. This totals 47 seats, falling short of the 50 seats needed for a majority in this election cycle. This setback continues the coalition’s weakening hold in the Diet following their losses in the lower house election of October 2024.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba remains in office amid this political uncertainty, leading a minority government in the upper house. The loss of majority status in the upper chamber increases difficulties for Prime Minister Ishiba, putting his leadership and the government’s legislative agenda in jeopardy.
The Diet was convened for a five-day extraordinary session on Friday, taking place in the context of this change in the political landscape. The LDP continues to maintain control over key standing committees in the Upper House, with Yusuke Nakanishi from the LDP chosen as head of the Budget Committee and Takao Makino retaining the post of chief of the Rules and Administration Committee.
However, the two key Upper House standing committees will not be monopolised by the LDP. For the first time, the up-and-coming party Sanseito obtained the post of committee chair, with Manabu Matsuda from Sanseito elected as the chair of the Upper House Discipline Committee.
The extraordinary session is taking place without the ruling coalition having a majority in the Upper House. Masakazu Sekiguchi from the LDP was re-elected as the president of the Upper House during a plenary meeting on Friday morning, while Tetsuro Fukuyama, a former secretary-general of the leading opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, was elected as the vice president of the Upper House in the same meeting.
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan played a significant role in the July 20 election for the upper chamber, shaping a more competitive legislative environment. This is the first Diet session since the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its Komeito ally lost their combined majority in the House of Councillors in the July 20 election for the upper chamber.
The July 20 election for the upper chamber was a significant event in Japanese politics, marking a shift in the balance of power and promising a more dynamic and competitive legislative environment.
- The July 20, 2025, election for the upper chamber of Japan's parliament, known as the Diet, was a significant event in the realm of photojournalism, as it marked a shift in the balance of power and gave a glimpse into the dynamics of the new political landscape, with the ruling coalition losing its majority.
- In the context of the July 20 election for the upper chamber and the subsequent change in the political landscape, various parties, including the up-and-coming Sanseito, are now focusing on shaping policy-and-legislation, particularly in key standing committees like the Budget Committee, Rules and Administration Committee, and the Discipline Committee, which could influence general news and impact politics in Japan.
