Central Asia

East Asia

Middle East Asia

Northern Asia

South Asia

Southeast Asia

Western Asia

Home / Japan politics

Japan politics

Stay updated with the latest news and articles about Japan politics.

Latest Articles

Shigeru Ishiba’s unpopularity among LDP peers

Japan ·

Ishiba has a long history of being a vocal critic of the LDP, earning him a reputation as a turncoat among lawmakers. His most notable act of defiance came in 1993 when he supported a no-confidence vote against then-Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa. This move, along with his departure from the LDP to join a reformist faction led by Ichiro Ozawa, has left a lasting stain on his reputation within the party. Political science professor Yu Uchiyama notes that this history fuels perceptions of Ishiba as a "traitor" among senior politicians.

By Ishita Agarwal
blank

Shigeru Ishiba wins LDP leadership, poised to become Japan’s Prime Minister

Japan ·

Ishiba’s path to leadership was cemented in the initial round, where he garnered 154 votes from a pool of nine candidates, advancing to the decisive runoff after Takaichi's 181 votes placed her in contention. Renowned for his expertise in defense and commitment to regional revitalization, Ishiba had consistently ranked high in pre-election polls regarding who would best lead the LDP.

By Ishita Agarwal
blank

Koizumi emerges as front-runner in LDP Presidential election

Japan ·

As of September 20, the Mainichi Shimbun reported that Koizumi has secured the backing of over 50 of the 368 Diet members. His nearest competitors are former Minister of Economic Security Takayuki Kobayashi and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi. The Sankei Shimbun's survey corroborates this, indicating that Koizumi also leads in support from LDP members, as assessed through opinion polls targeting party supporters.

By Ishita Agarwal
blank

Governor Saito defends against misplaced accusations following audit

Japan ·

The origin of these accusations stems from a comprehensive external audit released in March 2023, which highlighted deficiencies in port operations managed by Hyogo Port. Critics allege that Saito's efforts to address these issues led to his current predicament. Yet, Kiyohiro Takahashi, a certified public accountant and external auditor, firmly denies any involvement from the governor in the audit process. "We do not accept suggestions from the governor in an audit, and it is impossible for us to follow the governor's wishes," he stated.

By Ishita Agarwal
blank

Hyogo Vice Governor’s intense interrogation raises concerns

Japan ·

The investigation unfolded on March 25, when Katayama visited the Nishi-Harima Prefectural Government Bureau under the pretense of an informal check-in. During this visit, Katayama scrutinized the former director’s official emails, which contained information relevant to the harassment accusations. The director had previously acknowledged recording circulating rumors but denied any involvement in distributing the accusatory letter.

By Ishita Agarwal
blank

Kishida responds to unification church allegations

Japan ·

According to an Asahi Shimbun report, meetings between Abe, then-Policy Research Council Chairman Fumio Hagiuda, former Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi, and the Unification Church's leadership occurred in the LDP's President’s Room in late June 2013. In response to inquiries about these claims, Kishida affirmed that his prior statements on the issue remain unchanged, asserting that no new information warrants further discussion at this time.

By Ishita Agarwal
blank

Takaichi supports increased local vote weight in LDP Presidential runoff

Japan ·

Takaichi’s support for increasing local vote influence is aimed at more accurately reflecting the preferences of party members and supporters. Currently, the presidential election process involves two rounds of voting. In the first round, votes are evenly split between Diet members and local party members/supporters. If no candidate secures a majority, the top two candidates advance to a runoff election. The runoff process, however, maintains the same split in vote allocation.

By Ishita Agarwal
blank

LDP Presidential election race tightens: Koizumi, Takaichi, and Ishiba lead

Japan ·

According to a survey conducted on September 15 and 16, none of the nine candidates are expected to secure an outright majority in the first round of voting on September 27. Consequently, a runoff election between the top two contenders appears likely. The survey, which targeted LDP supporters, shows Takaichi leading with 27.7%, followed by Ishiba at 23.7%, and Koizumi at 19.1%. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa trails at 6.3%, with other candidates such as Kobayashi Takayuki, Kamikawa Yoko, Kono Taro, Motegi Toshimitsu, and Kato Katsunobu showing even lower support.

By Ishita Agarwal

Showing 10 of 33 articles