Anjali Sharma
GG News Bureau
NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, 12th July. According to the local media on Monday reported that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-Komeito coalition secured 76 seats and retained the majority in the Upper House elections.
This year, 52.05 per cent of voters turned to the Upper House election, which is higher than the 2019 Upper House election but the second-lowest on record in an election held two days after the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Abe was gunned down in the city of Nara western Japan on Friday as he was delivering a campaign speech.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other LDP executives appeared before the media on Sunday night, wearing black ties and dresses along with mourning ribbons, holding a moment of silence for Abe, The Japan Times reported.
Kishida placed pink flowers by the names of victorious candidates and addressed a press conference, the Japanese PM said, “Violence threatened the electoral process, the very foundation of our democracy.”
“I was determined to go through with this election at all costs,” he added.
Kishida does not need to go to the polls for three years, giving him a free hand to advance his policy agenda.
He faced questions as to where he will direct his political capital: his flagship “new capitalism” fiscal initiatives aimed at the redistribution of wealth; diplomacy and national security; or toward inflation and other economic issues, which emerged as top voter concerns ahead of the election, reported The Japan Times.
“I am determined to achieve results as part of my ‘new capitalism’ economic model, which is aimed primarily at revitalizing the economy,” Kishida said. “At the same time, I will take a step-by-step approach to continue our work on diplomacy, security and constitutional revision,” he added.
He also said he is considering when to hold a Cabinet reshuffle after the election. .
The ongoing war in Ukraine and its economic consequences, the parties’ main plan was to address rising prices and boost the economy, as well as their stance on the issue of Japan reinforcing its defence capabilities.
The pro-constitutional revision forces would gain a supermajority — two-thirds of the seats in the chamber enabling them to initiate Japan’s first referendum on the issue is another key point.
“In order to table a parliamentary proposal for constitutional revision, we need to share a common understanding with other pro-revisionist parties on which clauses to prioritize and under what timeline,” said LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi,.
According to the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry, over 20 million people cast an early vote during the official 17-day campaign period through Saturday, setting a record.
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