The loss, on Sunday, April 28, of three parliamentary seats by the Liberal Democratic Party (PLD, conservative) in power in Japan, further weakens the unpopular Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, whose future at the head of government seems most compromised. Organized in Shimane (southwest), Nagasaki (southwest) and Tokyo, the three partial legislative elections were won by the Constitutional Democratic Party (PDC, progressive), the main opposition party.
“The results are extremely severereacted Toshimitsu Motegi, secretary general of the PLD. We humbly accept the voters’ choice. We will do everything possible to regain the trust of the population while continuing reforms. » Conversely, the leader of the PDC, Kenta Izumi, wishes to take advantage of the favorable dynamic and said he was ready to “push for early legislative elections if the PLD does not quickly make the necessary transformations”.
The failures of the ruling party confirm the slump in which it has been struggling for almost two years. The revelations, in 2022, of the links of 179 liberal-democrat elected officials with the controversial Unification Church (the Moon sect) had already weakened it. The 2023 scandal linked to the existence of slush funds, which forced four ministers to resign and which involves 85 of its parliamentarians, dealt it a new blow.
The most bitter defeat for the PLD was recorded in the department of Shimane, a historic conservative stronghold. Norimasa Nishikori, a former finance ministry official, had the difficult task of keeping the seat at stake following the death in November 2023 of Hiroyuki Hosoda (1944-2023), former speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, within the party fold. . Mr. Hosoda succeeded his father as head of the constituency in 1990. Shimane was also the stronghold of former Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita (1924-2000), a major figure in the LDP, who had a strong influence on Japanese politics.
“For an honest policy”
However, Mr. Nishikori was beaten by Akiko Kamei. Daughter and niece of parliamentarians, this environmentalist and anti-nuclear activist ran with the support of the PDC. Mme Kamei attributed his victory to “the anger aroused by the PLD slush fund scandal. This election in a “conservative kingdom” is a strong message to the Kishida administration”. The public channel NHK estimated the share of traditional PLD supporters who voted for M at 30%.me Kamei.
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