Multiparty parliamentary democracy of Japan – World Countries for Kids
Japan is a democracy with parliamentary system of governance. It is amazing that despite being a multiparty parliamentary democracy, Japan has been under the rule of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) almost continuously since 1955. Civil liberties & political rights are well respected. Unresolved challenges include ethnic and gender-based discrimination and claims of improperly close relations between government and the business sector.
The PM is the head of government and is selected by the freely elected parliament. The PM forms the cabinet, which can include some ministers who are not members of the parliament. Japan’s emperor serves as head of state but only in a ceremonial capacity. Shigeru Ishiba was sworn in as prime minister in October 2024 after winning the leadership of his party. He called a snap general election to seal his mandate but his party suffered a loss in this election held on 27th October 2024. But subsequently, Ishiba won a run-off vote in parliament on 11th November 2024 to stay PM.
Ishiba had vowed to continue ruling the nation despite the bruising loss suffered by his party Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in the snap general election. Japan faced an uncertain political future as the coalition led by LDP had lost its majority in parliament, its worst result in more than a decade. In a speech on 28th of October, Ishiba acknowledged the LDP received “severe judgement” from voters, and added his party would “humbly accept” this. “The Japanese people expressed their strong desire for the LDP to do some reflection and become a party that acts in line with the people’s will,” Ishiba told NHK.
The LDP and its much smaller coalition partner Komeito got 215 seats altogether, falling well short of the 233-seat majority required to govern. It is the first time since 2009 that the LDP has lost its parliamentary majority. The party has ruled Japan almost uninterruptedly since 1955. The result arrived after a tumultuous few years for the Liberal Democratic Party. The party had seen approval ratings of under 20% earlier in the year, in the light of a political fundraising corruption scandal. Japan’s parliament had 30 days to convene and choose a prime minister. Ishiba was chosen and so he stays the PM. In an extraordinary parliament session held on 11th November 2024 (Monday), Ishiba defeated Yoshihiko Noda, the leader of the main opposition party of Japan, CDP (Constitutional Democratic Party). The Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) had won 148 seats in the snap general election of October 2024, up from 98 previously.