Overview

• Party leader Saito Tetsuo announced the withdrawal on Oct. 10 and said cooperation will shift to case-by-case decisions.
• Komeito will not vote for Sanae Takaichi in the Diet’s prime‑ministerial selection and is suspending election cooperation, including mutual endorsements.
• The split follows Komeito’s unmet demands for tighter corporate and organizational donation rules and clearer accounting of LDP factional hidden funds.
• The coalition rupture increases the likelihood of an LDP‑only cabinet and has LDP figures warning of policy delays and electoral risks.
• Diet convocation is being adjusted toward Oct. 21, leaving limited time for preparations for President Donald Trump’s planned Oct. 27–28 visit, which Foreign Ministry officials say requires extensive briefings for the new prime minister.