Despite little debate on the matter during campaigning, attention is being paid to the fact that parties in favor of constitutional changes may secure two-thirds of Lower House seats, making major revisions possible. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/05/japan/politics/constitutional-revisions-key-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #sdf #constitution #2026lowerhouseelection #nipponishinnokai #dpp #cra #jcp #reiwashinsengumi #sanaetakaichi
The new opposition centrist force that was supposed to upend Japan’s political calculus isn’t gaining any ground. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/04/japan/how-unpredictable-is-the-snap-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #ldp #cdp #komeito #cra #dpp #sanseito #jip #china #us #indopacific #eastasia #senkakus #xijinping #sanaetakaichi #2026lowerhouseelection #nipponishinnokai #diet
The Taiwanese government's nearly $40 billion defense budget request is in jeopardy as the opposition pushes a much smaller proposal that omits key capabilities deemed critical to defending against a Chinese attack. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/04/asia-pacific/politics/taiwan-defense-budget-analysis/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #asiapacific #politics #taiwan #budgets #defense #pla #china #us #kmt #dpp #donaldtrump #laichingte
The Japanese parties that best navigate the shortened campaign period will cement their place in the new political landscape. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/04/japan/cheat-sheet-for-japans-snap-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #ldp #cra #jip #2026lowerhouseelection #sanseito #dpp #diet
Japan’s Feb. 8 snap election will test whether Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the LDP can rebuild a Lower House majority by reclaiming conservative and independent voters as it faces a fragmented opposition. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/03/japan/conservative-voters-returning-to-ldp/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #japan #sanaetakaichi #ldp #cdpj #komeito #cra #jip #dpp #sanseito #sokagakkai #rengo #shinzoabe
Japan’s Feb. 8 snap election is less about short-term politics than a pivotal choice among competing coalition paths that will determine whether the country can adapt its domestic politics to shifting voter behavior. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/03/japan/where-japan-goes-from-here/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #ldp #jip #cdp #komeito #cra #dpp #sanseito #china #unitedstates #indopacific #eastasia #senkakuislands #xijinping #sanaetakaichi #2026lowerhouseelection
For the fourth time, two candidates in Tokyo with the surname Suzuki will be fighting for a seat in parliament, this time in the Feb. 8 Lower House election. But a party change could give a needed edge to one of them. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/01/japan/politics/reportage-tokyo-10th-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #cra #komeito #cdp #sanseito #dpp #jcp #tokyo #sokagakkai #2026lowerhouseelection
Japan's social media is abuzz with politics as users air their thoughts on topics ranging from money scandals, immigration and security. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/31/japan/politics/lower-house-social-media-buzz/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #cra #nipponishinnokai #dpp #sanseito #2026lowerhouseelection #socialmedia
While pledging to reduce the social security burden on working generations in the lead-up to the Feb. 8 general election, political parties continue to struggle with how to make the system financially sustainable. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/30/japan/politics/lower-house-social-security/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #elderly #welfare #2026lowerhouseelection #ldp #cra #sanseito #dpp #socialwelfare
The political parties joining forces to form the the Centrist Reform Alliance are neither centrist nor true reformers. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/27/japan/japans-new-centrist-reform-alliance/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #centristreformalliance #cra #komeito #cdp #ldp #sanaetakaichi #tetsuosaito #dpj #yurikokoike #partyofhope #jip #sanseito #rengo #sokagakkai #dpp
As Japan heads into another general election, it is becoming increasingly uncertain whether conservative voters will make a return to the Liberal Democratic Party. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/27/japan/politics/conservative-voters/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #cra #sanseito #nipponishinnokai #dpp #sanaetakaichi #2026lowerhouseelection #soheikamiya #fumitakefujita
The opposition Democratic Party for the People vowed to increase people's take-home pay as part of its pledges for the Feb. 8 House of Representatives election. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/23/japan/politics/dpp-election-pledges/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #dpp #ldp #nipponishinnokai #cra #2026lowerhouseelection
The Centrist Reform Alliance, Japan's new political party, will start with over 160 House of Representatives lawmakers and is set to hold its inaugural meeting on Thursday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/21/japan/politics/cra-160-members/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #cra #nipponishinnokai #ldp #dpp #komeito #sanaetakaichi
Rumors of a snap election have created friction between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Democratic Party for the People less than a month after the two political parties forged an agreement to cooperate. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/13/japan/politics/dpp-tamaki-snap-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #dpp #yuichirotamaki #ldp #sanaetakaichi
The Democratic Party for the People's leader said his party may not approve the government's fiscal 2026 draft budget if the prime minister intends to dissolve the Lower House for a snap election as early as next month. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/12/japan/politics/dpp-election-budget-approval/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #yuichirotamaki #sanaetakaichi #diet #ldp #lowerhouse #dpp
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is believed to be eyeing a snap election as early as next month, with the co-leader of the LDP's ruling coalition partner saying her thinking on the matter had "shifted to a new stage." https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/11/japan/politics/japan-takaichi-snap-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #diet #ldp #nipponishinnokai #diet #lowerhouse #dpp #chinajapanrelations #jip #osakaishinnokai
The Liberal Democratic Party’s Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki said having the Democratic Party for the People join the ruling bloc would help achieve “political stability.” https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/07/japan/politics/dpp-ldp-rengo/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #dpp #ldp #nipponishinnokai #rengo #tomokoyoshino #unions #yuichirotamaki #shunichisuzuki #cdp #yoshihikonoda #sanaetakaichi
After more than three decades, there is a growing debate in parliament about returning the current Lower House electoral system to what it once was. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/02/japan/politics/election-system/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #diet #lowerhouse #ldp #nipponishinnokai #dpp #cdp
The Liberal Democratic Party’s recent tax agreement with an opposition party raises questions about how Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will balance ties with her party’s coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/25/japan/politics/dpp-ldp-jip-coalition/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #dpp #jip #sanaetakaichi #yuichirotamaki #hirofumiyoshimura
With parliament set to close on Wednesday, the ruling coalition agreed this week to hold off discussions on a bill reducing Lower House seats by 10% until next year. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/12/16/japan/politics/ldp-jip-bill-put-off/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #nipponishinnokai #ldp #hirofumiyoshimura #dpp #cdp #komeito #diet #lowerhouse