Ever since the Liberal Democratic Party was formed in 1955, it has largely been the dominant political force in Japan, either as the ruling party or the main party in a ruling coalition.
But having lost control of both chambers of parliament following the October Lower House election and last month’s Upper House race, the LDP is now ruling as a minority government with coalition partner Komeito.
The shift comes at a time when smaller, ideologically unified parties are gaining voter support, prompting some critics to say the LDP should break up, as it’s currently a messy mix of liberals and conservatives.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.