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3d ago

LDP’s Seat Total Hits Record Low in Tokyo Assembly as Tomin First Emerges Largest Party

Japan’s confirmation of a July 20 upper house election escalates pressure on Prime Minister Ishiba to address voter discontent revealed by Tokyo’s poll results.

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Overview

  • The Liberal Democratic Party secured just 21 seats in the 127-member Tokyo assembly, its lowest tally ever, while Tomin First no Kai captured 31 seats to become the city’s leading party.
  • High inflation, a doubling of rice prices and political funding scandals drove voters to punish the ruling coalition and left Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s approval ratings at rock bottom.
  • The Democratic Party For the People entered the Tokyo assembly for the first time with nine seats, capitalizing on public frustration with the LDP.
  • The government officially set the national upper house election for July 20, when half of the 248 seats and a vacant Tokyo seat will be contested.
  • To blunt cost-of-living complaints ahead of the vote, Ishiba pledged 20,000 yen cash handouts and released emergency rice stockpiles to temper soaring food prices.