SEOUL — Japan’s ruling party on Sunday lost its parliamentary majority for the first time in 15 years, a stunning upset that threatens the future of the new prime minister and marks the beginning of an unusual period of political disarray for a key U.S. ally in Asia.
The Liberal Democratic Party, which has been in power almost continuously since its founding in 1955, and its coalition partner, Komeito, failed to secure an absolute majority in the lower-house elections Sunday.
Trust in the conservative LDP and Japanese leadership is at an all-time low following a string of corruption scandals involving dozens of party members. In September, former prime minister Fumio Kishida stepped down in no small part because of the scandals.
His successor, Shigeru Ishiba, took office on Oct. 1 vowing to restore the public’s trust. His first order of business was calling for an election for the lower house — the most powerful chamber of parliament — a year earlier than it was due, so that he could use the momentum of his election to rally a public mandate for his party and its control of government.
But his tenure was bedeviled from the start, as he reversed his most distinctive policy proposals and struggled to convince the public that he would represent true political change.
“The public hoped for him to fix the LDP, but they are gradually becoming disappointed with the fact that he is becoming more like the LDP,” said Izuru Makihara, Japanese government expert at the University of Tokyo.