As painful new US tariffs loom, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba held on Monday despite his coalition suffering what he described as a “extremely regrettable” election result.
Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has held power virtually continuously since 1955, and its partner Komeito lost out on a majority in the upper house by an estimated three seats in Sunday’s election.
The “Japanese first” Sanseito, which gained significant support with its “anti-globalist” stance that mirrored that of populist parties elsewhere, was one of the parties that voters who were fed up with inflation went to.
Kazuyo Nanasawa, 25, who supported a tiny ultra-conservative party, told AFP, “I even think (the LDP) should have lost more,” and he also suggested that Ishiba resign.
