Tokyo, July 7 (BNA): The Japanese ruling party’s strong performance in Sunday’s upper house elections will give Prime Minister Fumio Kishida a stronger grip on the faction party and allow him to step out of the shadow of his powerful predecessor and define his premiership. .
If his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) does as polls predicted, Kishida will boost his chances of leading the party in the next election, which should be held by late 2025, Reuters reported.
The consolidation of power would give the former banker from Hiroshima the opportunity to boost defense spending and perhaps revise the pacifist constitution, something that even hawkish Shinzo Abe, who resigned in 2020, has not been able to achieve.
The two-time prime minister Abe leads the largest faction in the LDP and remains a dominant presence in the party.
“This is really a chance for Kishida to emerge center stage and define what his prime ministership will be,” said Shihoko Goto of the Wilson Research Center, adding that it could allow Kishida to emerge from under a “shadow loom.”
After winning an internal party leadership race with Abe’s backing, Kishida, who had served as Abe’s foreign minister, appeared to distance himself from his old boss.
Kishida has opposed the neoliberal “Abenomics” movement of the past decade, instead describing “neo-capitalism” that emphasizes a greater distribution of wealth to promote growth, although the details are scanty.
Opinion polls show the LDP won at least 60 groups out of 125 contenders on Sunday, compared to the 55 it now holds, allowing it to maintain a majority in the House with its junior coalition partner Komeito.
Kishida has set 55 as his target for victory, which analysts say is within his reach. A 69 seats would give the LDP a majority in the House of Representatives, but that could be a stretch.
Voters can still penalize the Liberal Party for higher prices.
Japan’s populist small innovation party gained momentum in October’s general election and could drive away right-wing voters.
MI