Japan’s ruling party secures coalition deal ahead of prime minister vote

Reuters

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has reached a political arrangement with the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) ahead of the country’s upcoming prime ministerial election.

LDP leader Sanae Takaichi, elected party chief earlier this month, is expected to formalise the deal with JIP leader Hirofumi Yoshimura on Monday. Under the agreement, the JIP will support the LDP in the vote but will not join the Cabinet.

The coalition comes after the Komeito party ended its 26-year partnership with the LDP, marking a significant shift in Japan’s political scene. Takaichi, a close ally of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, is also the first woman to lead the LDP.

Lawmakers will cast their votes for the new prime minister on Tuesday. The LDP holds 196 seats in the 465-member lower house, while the JIP has 35. A prime minister needs at least 233 votes to win, meaning the LDP–JIP bloc falls just short of a majority.

Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), which holds 27 seats, indicated on Saturday that he may collaborate with Takaichi where their policy goals overlap. "I would like to cooperate to advance policies," he said, signalling potential cross-party support.

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