Historic Shift Looms in Japanese Politics as First Female PM Expected

A realignment of forces is taking place in Japan's political field: the country may have its first female prime minister in its history. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the opposition "Innovation Party" (JIP) have reached a de facto agreement to form a coalition government. This move followed the breakup of the 26-year alliance between the LDP and its long-time partner, the "Komeito" party, which has created new realities in the country's domestic political life.

It is expected that LDP leader Sanae Takaichi and JIP leader Hirofumi Yoshimura will sign the coalition agreement on Monday. The "Innovation Party" has stated that it is ready to support the government without receiving ministerial portfolios. Given that the JIP intends to vote in parliament on October 4 in favor of Takaichi, who was elected LDP president, her election as prime minister is almost guaranteed.

The formation of this new alliance, however, will not be smooth. Even with the combined forces of the two parties, the newly formed coalition will not have an absolute majority in the influential House of Representatives of the parliament, where 233 votes out of 465 are needed. This means that serious challenges are expected on the path of advancing Takaichi's conservative political agenda.

As part of the coalition agreement, the Liberal Democratic Party has made a number of concessions. High-ranking officials of the parties have agreed that the LDP will support the key proposals of the "Innovation Party." These include provisions to reduce the consumption tax on food from 10 percent to zero and to ban political donations from corporations and organizations. In addition, the LDP has also accepted Yoshimura's "non-negotiable condition" to reduce the number of parliamentary seats. These changes are planned to be submitted in the form of a bill to the next extraordinary session of the parliament.

Thus, Japan is on the threshold of a new political era, characterized not only by the possible appointment of the first female prime minister but also by a significant change in the configuration of power. The coming months will show how effective the new coalition will be and how it will affect the country's domestic and foreign policy.