After a whirlwind first week in office dominated by foreign policy, Sanae Takaichi turned to domestic affairs, attending her first session of parliament as the nation’s prime minister. It was a solid performance that was, not surprisingly given her minority government and the new coalition that she heads, short on details.
The issues that will dominate this Diet session, such as economic and political reforms, are contentious, not only among the public and political parties, but within the coalition and Takaichi’s own Liberal Democratic Party. There is no consensus on how to proceed and decisions on any one issue are likely to antagonize potential allies on others. This would test any politician’s skills. Takaichi, relatively inexperienced in political maneuverings at this level and the head of a minority government, will soon prove herself — or not.
The coalition among the LDP and the Japan Innovation Party, is based on a 12-point program they agreed after the election. One of the JIP’s key demands is cutting the number of Lower House representatives by 10%. That makes sense as the country’s population shrinks, but it would threaten many smaller parties that lack name recognition as well as incumbent politicians whose districts or places on the proportional representation list would be eliminated. But even opposition politicians have voiced support for the initiative.
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