As parties fanned out across the country, Japan’s voters voiced hope for a range of policy measures as the country grapples with a series of challenges — including soaring prices. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/02/japan/politics/japan-voters-voices-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #2026lowerhouseelection #japaneseeconomy #inflation #ldp #cra #sanaetakaichi #yoshihikonoda
Beyond the centrist and conservative labels that they use for themselves ahead of Japan’s upcoming election, candidates’ and parties’ policy proposals show that their differences are more nuanced — and confusing. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/26/japan/politics/conservative-center-focus/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #cra #ldp #tetsuosaito #yoshihikonoda #sanaetakaichi #2026lowerhouseelection
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has fended off criticism over her goals for Japan’s Feb. 8 snap election, arguing that the ruling coalition’s razor-thin majority in the Lower House made it difficult to pass bills. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/26/japan/politics/jnpc-debate-takaichi-noda/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #cra #nipponishinnokai #komeito #cdp #sanaetakaichi #yoshihikonoda #2026lowerhouseelection
Voter reactions varied to candidates of the new Centrist Reform Alliance as they stumped for the Feb. 8 election. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/25/japan/politics/japan-new-centrist-party-voter-reaction/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #cra #2026lowerhouseelection #yoshihikonoda #cdp #komeito
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has played down concerns over the feasibility of her plan to temporarily eliminate the 8% consumption tax within fiscal 2026, as the issue takes center stage ahead of a general election. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/25/japan/politics/japan-party-leaders-debate-lower-house-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #2026lowerhouseelection #sanaetakaichi #ldp #yoshihikonoda #cra #consumptiontax
The Centrist Reform Alliance, a new opposition party formed by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito, was officially launched Thursday as it aims to become the largest party in the Lower House. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/22/japan/politics/cra-centrist-party/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #cra #yoshihikonoda #2026lowerhouseelection
Japan's opposition politics remain fragmented as Komeito and the CDP merge to form a new party, despite policy divides and a history of electoral struggles. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/01/18/japan/japans-rare-snap-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #ldp #komeitolowerhouse #komeito #cdp #centristreformalliance #cra #tetsuosaito #yoshihikonoda #sokagakkai #ccp #aeon #china #shinzoabe #fumiokishida #shigeruishiba #jip
Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition CDP, is likely to be the prime minister candidate of the Centrist Reform Alliance, the new party jointly formed by the CDP and Komeito. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/17/japan/politics/noda-pm-candidate-centrist-reform-alliance/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #yoshihikonoda #cra #cdp #komeito #ldp #diet #lowerhouse #sanaetakaichi #nipponishin
The CDP and Komeito’s formation of a new centrist party is a bid for survival as the political landscape shifts ahead of a surprise snap election. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/16/japan/politics/why-cdp-komeito-new-party/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #cdp #komeito #yoshihikonoda #tetsuosaito #ldp #nipponishin
As talk of a snap election next month grows, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito have agreed to work toward creating a new centrist political opposition force. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/13/japan/politics/cdp-komeito-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #cdp #komeito #yoshihikonoda #tetsuosaito
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
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
Sanae Takaichi has hinted in parliament that she didn’t initially intend to refer to a specific case that Japan could consider a “survival-threatening situation,” potentially allowing it to deploy its military. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/26/japan/politics/party-leaders-diet-debate-taiwan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #diet #sanaetakaichi #yoshihikonoda #ldp #cdp #china #taiwan #chinajapanrelations #japaneseeconomy #nuclearweapons
In her first debate with the main opposition, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi defended her choice to appoint lawmakers involved in the Liberal Democratic Party slush fund scandal to Cabinet and party roles in parliament. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/04/japan/politics/takaichi-questioning/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #yoshihikonoda #ldp #cdp #nipponishinnokai #fumitakefujita
LDP chief Sanae Takaichi’s chances of becoming prime minister appeared to increase after Nippon Ishin emerged as a possible coalition partner. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/15/japan/politics/ldp-nippon-ishin/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #nipponishinnokai #ldp #dpp #cdp #sanaetakaichi #hirofumiyoshimura #yuichirotamaki #yoshihikonoda
A dramatic shift in Japan's coalition dynamics has thrown the political landscape into chaos, leaving top leaders scrambling to secure a government formation with little time and numerous uncertainties ahead. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/15/a-neotiators-nightmare-in-nagatacho/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #sanaetakaichi #komeito #yoshihikonoda #yuichirotamaki #shunichisuzuki #nipponishinnokai #constitutionaldemocraticpartyofjapan #cdp #democraticpartyforthepeople #dpp #liberaldemocraticparty #ldp
Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the opposition Democratic Party for the People, indicated willingness to hold talks with Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan chief Yoshihiko Noda. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/13/japan/dpp-cdp-prime-minister-nomination/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #sanaetakaichi #shigeruishiba #yuichirotamaki #yoshihikonoda #dpp #cdp #ldp
The LDP and opposition forces are battling to secure votes for their picks to be prime minister in a contest increasingly likely to be decided in a runoff, following Komeito’s decision to bolt the ruling bloc. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/12/japan/politics/japan-pm-vote-uncertain/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #komeito #cdp #dpp #nipponishin #yuichirotamaki #tetsuosaito #yoshihikonoda #sanaetakaichi
Now that Komeito has dissolved its coalition with the ruling LDP, the main opposition CDP is poised to seek Komeito's support for a possible unified opposition candidate for prime minister. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/11/japan/politics/cdp-komeito-cooperation/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #cdp #ishinnokai #dpp #diet #sanaetakaichi #komeito #yuichirotamaki #yoshihikonoda
Sanae Takaichi, the newly elected president of the Liberal Democratic Party, has gotten off to a positive start, garnering a 66% public approval rating, according to a weekend survey. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/06/japan/politics/takaichi-poll/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #ldp #cdp #dpp #nipponishinnokai #yuichirotamaki #yoshihikonoda #komeito
