The Liberal Democratic Party and its junior partner, Komeito, have lost their majority in the Lower House, following a punishing rout in the general election on Sunday.
The loss of its majority would require Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to seek a third party to join the coalition to remain in power — a move that would necessitate negotiations, or concessions, between the ruling parties.
Negotiating with a third party for its backing in parliament for every bill would exacerbate political instability and drastically reduce the LDP’s authority over the coalition, making Ishiba’s administration even shakier. The policymaking process would inevitably become more fragmented and laborious, requiring a great deal of political capital from the government.
