Tag - komeito

 
 

KOMEITO

Lower House lawmaker Hitoshi Aoyagi from the Japan Innovation Party speaks during an interview in his parliamentary office on Nov. 20.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Nov 26, 2025
Japan one step closer to relaxing single-surname rule for married couples
While still having married couples adopt the same surname, the ruling coalition is working on a bill that would allow the option of giving more weight to birth names.
The Lower House plenary session where the gasoline tax cut bill was approved, at the Diet on Tuesday
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 25, 2025
Lower House passes bill to scrap add-on gasoline tax
The legislation, adopted at a plenary meeting, also states that the provisional gas oil delivery tax surcharge of ¥17.1 per liter will be abolished April 1 next year.
China is using threats, diplomatic pressure, economic measures and manufactured media narratives to attack new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and influence Japanese politics.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 20, 2025
Seeking good relations with Xi’s CCP is a fool’s errand
China has a history of favoring Japanese leaders, going back at least to Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka in the 1970s, who are inclined to comply with its “red lines.”
Toshihiro Nikai, then secretary-general of the Liberal Democratic Party (left), meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping during his visit to Beijing in December 2017.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Nov 20, 2025
Tensions highlight lack of Japan lawmakers with China connections
“There’s no one in the LDP-JIP coalition who can serve as a brake,” a young Komeito lawmaker said.
Ichiro Aisawa (second from right) of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, who heads the council on the all-important lower parliamentary chamber's electoral system, attends a meeting on Tuesday at the Diet building.
JAPAN / Politics
Nov 18, 2025
Opposition lawmakers voice caution on proposed Lower House seat cut
The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan urged that a conclusion be reached at the council to better reflect the opinions of smaller parties.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi answers questions from lawmakers at the Diet in Tokyo on Tuesday.
EDITORIALS
Nov 7, 2025
Domestic issues dominate prime minister’s strong Diet debut
It was a solid performance that was, not surprisingly given her minority government and the new coalition that she heads, short on details.
Executives of six ruling and opposition parties discuss scrapping the add-on levy for gasoline during their meeting in the parliament building on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Nov 2, 2025
Japan sees no stable funding for costly policy plans
Six ruling and opposition parties broadly agreed Friday to scrap the add-on levy for gasoline on Dec. 31 and for gas oil on April 1 next year.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi arrives in Busan, South Korea, on Thursday ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 30, 2025
How is Takaichi doing after a week at the helm?
The Japanese public’s reaction to her first week as prime minister has been overwhelmingly positive.
A meeting of officials from the Liberal Democratic Party, Japan Innovation Party and Komeito is held at the Diet building in Tokyo on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 30, 2025
Japan parties agree to make high school education free in fiscal 2026
The Liberal Democratic Party, the Japan Innovation Party and Komeito also agreed to raise the upper limit for existing subsidies for private high school students.
Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi (right) and Japan Innovation Party leader Hirofumi Yoshimura pose for a picture after signing an agreement to form a coalition, at the National Diet Building in Tokyo on Oct 20.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 28, 2025
Smaller parties set to suffer most if LDP and JIP reduce Lower House seats
Smaller parties such as Komeito could lose out the most if a bill is passed to reduce Lower House seats by 10%.
Sanae Takaichi’s rise to prime minister has boosted optimism in Japan, but sustaining it will depend on her handling of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's political, ethical and electoral challenges.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 28, 2025
Takaichi’s road to rebuilding the LDP’s ‘big tent’
Sanae Takaichi’s rise to prime minister has boosted optimism in Japan, but sustaining it will depend on her handling of the LDP’s political, ethical and electoral challenges.
Komeito Secretary-General Makoto Nishida speaks at a news conference in Tokyo on Oct. 14. He recently said that his party may give its backing to candidates of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan in future parliamentary elections.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 27, 2025
Komeito executive says party may support CDP candidates
The comments follow Komeito’s departure from the ruling coalition with the Liberal Democratic Party earlier this month, partly due to discord over regulating political donations.
Emperor Naruhito officially swears in Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during a ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Tuesday.
EDITORIALS
Oct 24, 2025
Sanae Takaichi stands tall and heads into the breach
Her Cabinet includes several rivals from the presidential campaign. It is an attempt to smooth over ill and a smart move.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 23, 2025
Polls show Takaichi Cabinet off to strong start with support for policy stance
Approval ratings were found to be especially high among younger generations and those in the Osaka and Nagoya regions.
Then-Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba delivers a policy speech during an ordinary session at the Lower House of parliament in Tokyo in January. Sanae Takaichi’s victory may result in fewer proportional seats in parliament, a shift that could hurt smaller parties. Bloomberg
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 21, 2025
How the LDP-JIP coalition could hurt smaller parties
If the JIP’s proposal goes through unchanged, it would mean a reduction of 46 seats from the proportional representation districts.
Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi meets with Japan Innovation Party leader Hirofumi Yoshimura after signing a coalition agreement in Tokyo on Monday.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 21, 2025
The winners and losers after Japan’s political shakeup
The country’s ruling coalition has many issues to overcome before proving its long-term viability, but they have time before any national level elections to work through them.
Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi and other lawmakers prepare to cast their votes for Japan's new prime minister in the Lower House of parliament on Tuesday.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 21, 2025
Takaichi’s choice: revolution, reform or regression
Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stands at a crossroads. Her choices will define not only her legacy but the nation’s trajectory.
Nikkei 225 stock index breaks record and nears the 50,000 mark on Tuesday just ahead of the vote on the next prime minister.
BUSINESS / Markets
Oct 21, 2025
Nikkei 225 retreats as Takaichi becomes prime minister
Tokyo stocks hit a record earlier in the day only to give up most of the gains.
Pedestrians walk past an electronic quotation board displaying numbers of the Nikkei 225 stock index outside a brokerage in Tokyo on Monday.
BUSINESS / Markets
Oct 20, 2025
Nikkei 225 breaks 49,000 and hits record as political stability returns
The benchmark index rose more than 3% in strong trade throughout the day.
Komeito chief representative Tetsuo Saito speaks during a debate with leaders of other political parties at the Japan National Press Club in Tokyo in July. His party exited the ruling coalition with the ruling-LDP after 26 years, citing concerns over political donations and transparency.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Oct 17, 2025
Is Komeito’s split with the LDP really about political funding?
Was Komeito negotiating in good faith or looking to undermine the Takaichi administration before it even commenced?

Longform

The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival