IANS | 29 Apr, 2024
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) led by Prime Minister
Fumio Kishida has lost all three lower house seats, as the country's
main opposition party won big by sweeping victories in three key
by-elections.
The Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) of Japan
on Sunday emerged victorious in three crucial by-elections, including a
closely watched race in Shimane Prefecture, traditionally considered a
conservative stronghold, long dominated by the LDP, Xinhua news agency
reported.
The by-elections, the first elections since the LDP's
slush fund scandal surfaced late last year, were held in Shimane and
Nagasaki prefectures, as well as one in Tokyo. The seats were previously
held by the conservative LDP before they became vacant.
Local
analysts pointed out that the public's dissatisfaction with the ongoing
scandal within the LDP was much underscored by the CDP's wins in the
Shimane No. 1 district, the Nagasaki No. 3 district and the Tokyo No. 15
district, while recent polls showed record-low support rates for the
prime minister.
"We faced political headwinds throughout the
election campaign," LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi told the
press, citing fierce backlash from the public.
Members of
Kishida's party had warned before Sunday's by-elections that voter anger
could result in a change of government after the next general election,
which must be held before Oct. 30, 2025, but could be called much
earlier, the Japan Times reported on Sunday.
Sunday's results now
mean Kishida could face stronger interparty resistance if he seeks
re-election as LDP president, with his term due to finish this
September, the paper added.
At the end of last year, in the wake
of the unfolding scandal where five major factions were suspected of
paying kickbacks to member lawmakers who sold fundraising party tickets
above their quota without recording the amount as revenue in its
political fund reports, over 10 senior officials or heavyweight
lawmakers have stepped down from their positions in Kishida's cabinet or
in the LDP.