Japan's government in flux after election gives no party majority

Public mandate for Ishiba emphatically denied.

All the LDP ministers have PSTD today. Shell shocked.

In investment banking it’s called “loss of principal”. Worse off now than when you went in. Really dumb considering he knew the public wanted Koizumi, not him.

Uncertain times, but great to see the Japanese people using their democratic voice, punishing scandals and a less-than-stellar running of the economy.

All the pro-authoritarian propagandists on JT asserting that Japan isn't a "proper" democracy, or that Japanese people "always" vote for the LDP, have been shown to be dead wrong.

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What a stale group of old men. Japan needs to elect younger politicians, especially more women. After all, aren't half the electorate female?

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B...b..b...b...but...we got the inflation we spent 20 years chasing! Everything's fixed now right?

Now that we’ve seen which way the wind is blowing, why not have another vote. I wouldn’t be surprised if people completely abandon the sinking ship of the LDP. This , of course, all assumes the CDPJ can articulate a viable plan to govern the country.

Of course the business lobby wants the LDP to stay in power. Wages for most people are stagnant and the government seems to want to reward already wealthy shareholders.

Enough if this. Workers in Japan should be paid more so they can drive the economy forward.

The wind of change is finally gusting.

""Ishiba's LDP declined to endorse several scandal-tainted candidates in the election. But days before the vote, a newspaper affiliated with the Japan Communist Party reported that the party had provided campaign funds to branches headed by non-endorsed candidates.""

The LDP thought they could fool the public again, they were Dead Wrong.

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Japanese Prime Minister and leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Shigeru Ishiba is not solely responsible for this crisis/circus, resulting in a rather nasty shock at the ballot box.

The political arrogance conceit hubris on full show from a LDP government, a breathtaking level of insolence towards a past ever forgiven J electorate has been met with brutal retribution.

I suggest Yoshihide Suga/Taro Aso are accountable one way or another, both Suga/Aso, the so called king makers string pullers, political puppet masters, refusing to relinquish power.

as voters punished the incumbents over a funding scandal and a cost-of-living crunch

Only 10 lost their seat due to this. What about the other 54?

Simon FostonToday 09:01 pm JST

Actually I wouldn't agree that it's pro-authoritarian propagandists who say so

Not everyone, but there are many on here that do. Their posting history over long periods makes very clear their allegiances and intentions.

Their tactics include asserting that Japan's democracy doesn't work properly (due to the LDP being in power for a long time), and that autocracy is "not so different from democracy" (by twisting/leaving out facts, etc.)

Perhaps you haven't read many of their posts yet, but I'm sure you will at some point.

isabelleToday  10:40 pm JST

Simon FostonToday 09:01 pm JST

"Actually I wouldn't agree that it's pro-authoritarian propagandists who say so"

Not everyone, but there are many on here that do. Their posting history over long periods makes very clear their allegiances and intentions.

Their tactics include asserting that Japan's democracy doesn't work properly (due to the LDP being in power for a long time), and that autocracy is "not so different from democracy" (by twisting/leaving out facts, etc.)

I just think they are just not well informed and have an overly simplistic view of the situation; I think they're rightly indigant but don't really see what the problems really are. I wouldn't say that Japan's democracy doesn't work properly, even with the LDP gaming the system for so long, because the people who don't vote out of disinterest and apathy could still do so if they wanted to and business owners who have been bankrolling LDP candidates could stop giving them money. Arguably they should; anyone who's been giving money to an LDP politician who failed to declare it properly is complicit in their illegal activities.

Well as it is it looks like LDP will form the Government once again. For the last 10+ years LDP has somehow survived so much since regaining power. From the bad economy, stagnant wages, the Covid pandemic, wasting of taxpayers money for the Olympics, usage of taxpayers money for private LDP parties, fundraising corruption, financial scandals, the all time low value of the yen and much more. Somehow the Japanese people will continue to give LDP just enough seats to form the Government! Yet, they will talk negatively about other countries where one party dominates politics.

JimOct. 28  11:41 pm JST

Somehow the Japanese people will continue to give LDP just enough seats to form the Government!

No, they won't!! What the Japanese people want has nothing to do with who wins elections.

Political leadership (i.e. election results) need to swing back and force like a pendulum. That way, the center is often crossed.

Sometimes you roll the dice at it comes up snake eyes. Next!

Ishiba, picked in a close-fought race to lead the LDP late last month, called the snap poll a year before it was due in an effort to secure a public mandate.

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Kishida isn't even in the photo. He is already yesterday's news.

All the LDP ministers have PSTD today. Shell shocked.

There is no more a deserving political party than the LDP, to be in a state of 'flux'. The best they have is to blame China, Korea and the election in the RS of the USA. Maybe the natives are finally waking up.

Simon FostonOct. 28 11:08 pm JST

I just think they are just not well informed and have an overly simplistic view of the situation

That could easily be the case for some posters, but definitely not the ones I'm referring to.

If you read certain threads you'll know who they are, and what they're trying to do.

isabelleToday  09:18 am JST

Simon FostonOct. 28 11:08 pm JST

"I just think they are just not well informed and have an overly simplistic view of the situation"

That could easily be the case for some posters, but definitely not the ones I'm referring to.

If you read certain threads you'll know who they are, and what they're trying to do.

I really don't think I've come across them to be perfectly honest. It seems to me that anyone with authoritarian views would want things to stay as they are so the LDP could keep winning. If I were to describe any party in Japan as authoritarian it would be the LDP so I don't quite see what these posters are trying to do.

Simon FostonToday 09:33 am JST

I don't quite see what these posters are trying to do.

They're not critiquing Japanese politics per se, but attempting to advance their agenda and promote their own authoritarian governments, with tactics like:

1) Denigrating democracy: Creating the impression that Japan isn't a "real" democracy by suggesting that it is "essentially a one-party state" as the LDP has been in power for so long, and that the system is beyond redemption. And suggesting things like a party being able to change its leader after a general election (without a public vote) means Japan is "not actually a democracy."

It's the same tactic we see with trolls/fake news targeting US divisions, the EU's decision-making process, etc.: an attempt to create disillusionment/disaffection among the people.

2) Promoting and normalizing autocracy: Asserting that their authoritarian governments are "really no different to Japan," with its "one-party state, where the country's leader is chosen by the party, not directly by the people." Therefore, we shouldn't criticize their repression or human rights abuses.

isabelleToday  10:40 am JST

I see what you mean. Well...

They're not critiquing Japanese politics per se, but attempting to advance their agenda and promote their own authoritarian governments, with tactics like:

1) Denigrating democracy: Creating the impression that Japan isn't a "real" democracy by suggesting that it is "essentially a one-party state" as the LDP has been in power for so long, and that the system is beyond redemption. And suggesting things like a party being able to change its leader after a general election (without a public vote) means Japan is "not actually a democracy."

It's the same tactic we see with trolls/fake news targeting US divisions, the EU's decision-making process, etc.: an attempt to create disillusionment/disaffection among the people.

I've seen similar criticisms of British politics by British people actually, after the Conservatives kept changing leaders between elections. I personally see nothing wrong with it if a party leader is unable to continue for some reason.

2) Promoting and normalizing autocracy: Asserting that their authoritarian governments are "really no different to Japan," with its "one-party state, where the country's leader is chosen by the party, not directly by the people." Therefore, we shouldn't criticize their repression or human rights abuses.

Actually I tend to assume it's people from countries with directly elected presidents like the USA who make those criticisms. As for that kind of deflection I suppose it might come up in discussions about those other countries, but if the article topic is actually Japan and Japanese politics I don't think authoritarian governments in other countries really come into it.