Japan's ruling party wins big, days after Shinzo Abe's assassination

New Delhi, July 11

On a day mourners paid their respects to the slain former Japan PM Shinzo Abe at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo, his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) along with three other parties secured a “super majority” in Parliament.

The two-thirds majority towards which Abe had been working towards would enable a change in the Constitution to turn Japan’s Self-Defence Force into a full-fledged military. The LDP now has 146 seats of the 248 Upper House seats and all four parties together control 179. This coalition already has a two-thirds majority in the more powerful Lower House.

“We will inherit his will and tackle the issues he had to leave unachieved,” said Japanese PM Fumio Kishida who now has the political balance of power to rule till the next general election in 2025. With enough time at his disposal, Kishida suggested that he would prefer to tackle more pressing issues first such as inflation, Covid and the Russian aggression.

Komeito, the second biggest party in the ruling coalition, has given signals that it may be unwilling to put its weight behind a change in Constitution. Abe and his supporters were of the view that the military restrictions imposed on Japan were actually “victors’ justice” after the World War II. Abe had stepped down as PM two years ago due to health reasons but regretted several unfinished tasks such as revising the Constitution.

Meanwhile, the police in Japan said the alleged killer Tetsuya Yamagami was upset over Abe’s rumoured connection to South Korea’s Unification Church. As Yamagami’s mother had donated large amounts to the Japan branch of the church, he felt they had a role in her subsequent bankruptcy.

Former pm’s funeral today

• Shinzo Abe’s funeral will be held on Tuesday but no invitation has been extended to foreign dignitaries. On Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met PM Kishida to offer condolences

PM Kishida may up defence spending

• Strong poll result may lead to hike in defence spending
• Ruling LDP has set spending goal of 2% of GDP
• Ukraine conflict may make voters less wary of higher defence spending, say observers