Shigeru Ishiba's government suffered a major setback after his party lost control of the Upper House in the latest elections
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The Japanese government suffered a major political setback last Sunday. The ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba lost control of the Upper House of Parliament, something that hadn't happened in over 60 years.
This result worsens the political crisis the country is experiencing after the blow suffered in October, when the ruling party also lost its majority in the more powerful Lower House.
In the Upper House by-elections, where half of the 248 seats were up for renewal, Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner, the Komeito party, won 47 seats, three short of the 50 needed to maintain a majority.
This leaves the coalition without control of both chambers, an unprecedented situation since the 1960s, which seriously limits the prime minister's ability to pass laws and remain politically stable.
En la cámara alta se renovaban la mitad de los 248 escaños
The current prime minister, cornered
Although the election doesn't directly determine the continuity of the government, Ishiba's administration had already been weakened after its defeat in the October legislative elections and will now have to navigate another failure.
In October, the prime minister's party lost its majority in the Lower House for the first time since 2009. Since then, his leadership has been questioned within the LDP itself and he has faced internal pressure to resign.
Despite this new setback, Ishiba showed determination to remain in office. Later, in an interview, he justified his decision to stay by highlighting the urgency of trade negotiations with the United States.
"We're in the middle of critical talks on tariffs. We must devote all our energy to protecting national interests," he stated.
Japan, the world's fourth-largest economy, faces an August 1 deadline to reach a trade agreement with Washington. If an agreement is not reached, the country could face new tariffs from its largest export market, adding pressure to the already fragile current leadership.
Ishiba señaló que no dará un paso al costado y sostuvo sus acciones sobre las negociaciones con Estados Unidos
The right surprises in the elections
In these elections, the main opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), won 22 seats, consolidating its role as the main alternative force.
However, the big surprise was the rise of the right-wing party Sanseito, which gained 14 seats, marking its formal entry into institutional politics.
Founded only a few years ago through platforms like YouTube, Sanseito has gained notoriety with its rhetoric against illegal immigration and its slogan "Japan first," capitalizing on popular discontent over the rising cost of living and the growing presence of undocumented foreigners in the country.
One of the main issues of the campaign was the increase in the price of rice, a staple food in the Japanese diet. Most opposition parties proposed tax cuts and more public spending on social welfare, a stance that resonated with much of the electorate.
El partido Sanseito ha dado una gran sorpresa en las elecciones
In contrast, the LDP insisted on maintaining fiscal discipline, concerned about the effects that increased spending would have on the bond market, given that Japan has the highest public debt in the world.
Now, with a divided Parliament, the government will have to negotiate with the opposition to move any initiative forward, which could mean higher spending and increased economic uncertainty.
