Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s newly elected leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, reportedly faced a major political setback Friday after losing her coalition partner in parliament — a rupture that threatens to derail her bid to become Japan’s first female prime minister and complicates relations with Washington just weeks before a possible visit from President Trump.
Komeito, the centrist party that has partnered with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) for a quarter of a century, announced it was leaving the governing coalition after talks broke down over proposed reforms to Japan’s political-finance laws.
Without Komeito’s votes, the LDP lacks a parliamentary majority, putting Takaichi’s elevation to prime minister in jeopardy.
Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito said his party could not support Takaichi’s nomination when it comes before parliament later this month. “If we cannot secure clear and concrete cooperation from the LDP regarding our demands, and if these reforms become impossible to achieve, then we absolutely cannot write Sanae Takaichi’s name in the prime minister nomination,” Saito told reporters.
The split leaves Takaichi — a staunch conservative and longtime ally of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe — scrambling for new political partners or facing the prospect of a snap election.
Economists and political observers say her only path forward may be persuading lawmakers from smaller opposition parties, such as the Democratic Party for the People, to back her bid.
Takaichi, who won the LDP presidency on Saturday following Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s decision to step down, expressed disappointment at Komeito’s decision. “I asked whether a coalition government would be possible if I weren’t the president, but I was told it wouldn’t matter,” she said. She added that she had asked Komeito for more time to review their proposed reforms but that the party “decided to withdraw from the coalition anyway.”
Komeito had demanded tighter regulations on political donations in the wake of an LDP funding scandal last year. While Takaichi said she was open to discussions, she stopped short of endorsing the reforms immediately — a hesitation that appears to have prompted Komeito’s exit.
The timing could hardly be worse. Tokyo and Washington have been preparing for a potential visit by President Trump later this month amid ongoing tensions over trade and defense spending. Takaichi, who has long advocated strengthening Japan’s military and deepening the U.S.-Japan alliance, is widely viewed as ideologically aligned with Trump.
Trump congratulated Takaichi following her victory, describing her as “a person of great wisdom and strength” in a post on Truth Social. Japanese officials had hoped her leadership could stabilize the ruling party and help restore confidence in Japan’s security policy after years of political churn.
But with Komeito’s departure, Takaichi’s task becomes significantly harder. The LDP’s partnership with Komeito has been central to Japanese governance since 1999, giving conservatives the votes they needed to pass key defense and fiscal measures. Now, her ability to form a functioning government — and to host President Trump as an equal partner — is uncertain.
Still, Takaichi’s allies insist her resolve remains strong. “This president has the conviction and the courage to do what’s right for Japan,” one LDP lawmaker said. “The challenge now is to find partners who share that vision.”
Whether Takaichi can secure the premiership — or whether Japan will plunge into another round of political instability — will likely be decided in the coming weeks, as she works to rebuild a coalition capable of governing and advancing her conservative agenda.
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