Japan, facing an unprecedented political situation. This Monday, the Diet, the Japanese Parliament must appoint its Prime Minister and no party has a sufficient majority. If the current head of government Shigeru Ishiba, who suffered a heavy blow in the elections at the end of October, should remain in office, the archipelago is heading towards a precarious political situation.
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In the absence of agreement between the coalitions, Shigeru Ishiba can remain at the head of a fragile government. This is the most plausible scenario for the new exceptional session of the Diet which opens this Monday, November 11.
The Liberal Democratic Party, in power almost continuously since 1955, has been weakened by the disavowal received at the polls. Undermined by business, his coalition fell to 18 seats from the majority and he was unable to convince an opposition party to join him.
Tax cuts under discussion
Negotiations take place around possible tax cuts with the People’s Democratic Party which seduced the electorate with numerous measures in favor of the purchasing power of the Japanese. But this center-right formation seems to prefer to influence government policy by remaining a balancing force outside the coalition.
On the other side of Parliament, the Constitutional Democratic Party has made rapid progress under the leadership of its leader, the popular Yoshihiko Noda. But although he managed to unite several parties behind him, he remains far from the majority. A division that can save Shigeru Ishiba’s position, but forces him into permanent negotiation and risks plunging Japan into chronic instability.
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