In Japan’s political heart of Nagatacho, a question swirls: Will Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi bank on her popularity and call a snap election ahead of next year’s parliamentary session? https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/05/japan/politics/takaichi-risks-snap-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #ldp #komeito #taroaso #toshimitsumotegi #shunichisuzuki
Japan should cut Upper House seats and expand the Lower House to 550 single-seat districts to end voter disparity and consolidate the 47 prefectures into nine regional blocks to make government more efficient. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/12/05/japan/right-sizing-the-diet/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #ldp #jip #komeito #sanseito #japanesecommunistparty #constitutionaldemocraticpartyofjapan #democraticpartyforthepeople #sanaetakaichi
Japan’s parliament has started deliberations on three bills related to the reform of political donations from companies and other organizations. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/04/japan/politics/japan-corporate-donation-reform-bill/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #jip #komeito #lowerhouse
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Japan Innovation Party leader Hirofumi Yoshimura agreed to submit a bill during the current parliamentary session that will reduce the number of Lower House seats by 10%. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/01/japan/politics/seats-reduction-ldp-jip-agreement/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #nipponishinnokai #lowerhouse #diet #hirofumiyoshimura #komeito #koichihagiuda
In Japan, political parties’ origins and backers are more consistent indicators of their leanings, rather than the left-right labels that apply more conveniently in the U.S. and Europe. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/27/japan/politics/explainer-political-parties-labeling/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #cdp #nipponishin #jcp #dpp #komeito #sanseito #sanaetakaichi #yoshihikonoda #yuichirotamaki #tetsuosaito #fumitakefujita #tomokotamura #soheikamiya
Japan is moving closer than ever to legalizing the primary use of birth names after marriage, with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s bill on the matter likely to be submitted to parliament soon. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/26/japan/politics/surname-takaichi-bill/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #familyregistry #familylaw #marriage #names #nipponishinnokai #komeito #ldp #women039sissues #diet
The Lower House on Tuesday passed legislation to scrap the provisional gasoline tax surcharge of ¥25.1 per liter, effective Dec. 31. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/25/japan/politics/gasoline-bill-lower-house/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #gas #ldp #cdp #taxes #energy #nipponishinnokai #komeito #jcp #localgovernment
China is using threats, diplomatic pressure, economic measures and manufactured media narratives to attack new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and influence Japanese politics. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/11/20/japan/good-relations-with-communist-party-is-a-fools-errand/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #china #sanaetakaichi #taiwan #xuejian #reiwashinsengumi #us #ldp #shigeruishiba #komeito #japaninnovationparty #ccp #philippines #shinzoabe #laichingte #xijinping #worldwarii
The recent flare-up of tensions between Tokyo and Beijing over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan has highlighted the lack of Japanese lawmakers with deep connections to China. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/20/japan/politics/japan-lawmakers-china-tie-weak/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #chinajapanrelations #ldp #sanaetakaichi #komeito #toshihironikai
Many opposition party lawmakers at a meeting held on Tuesday voiced reluctance over a proposal to reduce the number of seats in the House of Representatives. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/18/japan/politics/opposition-caution-seat-cut/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #cdp #nipponishinnokai #komeito
Sanae Takaichi’s first speech before Japan’s parliament highlighted her focus on economic reforms, navigating a divided coalition and addressing the challenges of a shrinking population and foreign labor. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/editorials/2025/11/07/takaichi-gets-squeezed-on-every-front/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #editorials #sanaetakaichi #ldp #jip #shinzoabe #fumiokishida #sanseito #komeito #kimionoda #fumitakefujita
The government has yet to find ways to secure some ¥2.4 trillion in stable financial resources to fund the planned elimination of the provisional gasoline tax surcharge and a free high school education program. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/02/japan/politics/funding-on-new-japan-policies/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #jip #nipponishinnokai #komeito #taxes #energy #education #financeministry
In her first weeks as prime minister, Sanae Takaichi unified the LDP, formed a new conservative coalition, advanced Japan’s defense and trade agendas and secured strong public support. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/30/japan/four-questions-for-takaichi-after-one-week/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #fumiokishida #shigeruishiba #yoshimitsumotegi #shinjirokoizumi #yoshimasahayashi #takayukikobayashi #satsukikatayama #hirofumiyoshimura #fumitakefujita #donaldtrump #ldp #komeito #jip #dpp #sanseito
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the Japan Innovation Party and Komeito agreed Wednesday to launch a program in fiscal year 2026 to effectively make high school education free. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/30/japan/politics/high-school-education-free-agreement/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #nipponishinnokai #komeito #highschools
A staunch conservative who has never joined a faction and avoided scandal, she may be ideally positioned to repair past damage to her party. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/28/japan/re-building-the-ldps-big-tent/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #ldp #komeito #jip #sanaetakaichi
To become prime minister, Liberal Democratic Party head Sanae Takaichi struck a deal with the Japan Innovation Party that includes the goal of cutting Lower House seats by 10%, which would mostly affect smaller parties. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/28/japan/politics/election-bill/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #komeito #nipponishinnokai #sanaetakaichi #hirofumiyoshimura #fumitakefujita #tetsuosaito #hiroshima #osaka
A Komeito executive has said the party may give its backing to candidates of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan in future parliamentary elections. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/27/japan/politics/komeito-support-cdp-candidates/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #komeito #makotonishida #ldp #cdp
Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister, forming a coalition with the Japan Innovation Party to focus on defense, economic reforms and international diplomacy. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/24/takaichi-heads-into-the-breach/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #sanaetakaichi #ldp #japaninnovationparty #komeito #shigeruishiba #fumiokishida #toshimitsumotegi #shinjirokoizumi #yoshimasahayashi #minorukihara #ryoseiakazawa #satsukikatayama #kimionoda #sanseito #shinzoabe
Two media polls show Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her team are off to a strong start following the formation of her Cabinet, especially among younger generations and those in the Osaka and Nagoya regions. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/23/japan/politics/takaichi-polls/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #ldp #jip #komeito
Sanae Takaichi made history as Japan’s first female prime minister, navigating political turmoil and securing new alliances; now she has to tackle key issues like inflation and good governance. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/22/japan/takaichis-heavy-metal-politics/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #ldp #komeito #dpp #cdp