LDP Banks On Ishiba’s Image

Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s long-time ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lost its parliamentary majority in the October 27 election, in a drubbing that might be attributed mainly to a series of public scandals in high places. The party, which has always been in power since 1955, with interruptions of four years in two spells, is now18 seats short of majority in the 465-member House of Representatives, including that of its coalition partner Komeito. But the coalition retains majority in the upper chamber.