Liberal Democratic Party–Komeito coalition
Liberal Democratic Party–Komeito coalition 自公連立政権 Jikō Renritsu Seiken | |
|---|---|
| First leaders | Keizō Obuchi (LDP) Takenori Kanzaki (Komeito) |
| Last leaders | Sanae Takaichi (LDP) Tetsuo Saito (Komeito) |
| Founded | 5 October 1999 |
| Dissolved | 10 October 2025 |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Big tent[A] |
| Alliance parties | |
^ A: Komeito is a centrist party, but the right-wing LDP held a much larger number of seats. | |
The Liberal Democratic Party–Komeito coalition was an alliance in Japan between the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito. A coalition government between the parties has been established twice: the first from 5 October 1999 to 16 September 2009, and the second from 26 December 2012 to 10 October 2025, when Komeito announced their exit from the coalition.
History
The two parties formed a coalition in October 1999 during the premiership of Keizō Obuchi.[1]
The coalition was roundly defeated and lost power in the 2009 general election. In the general election on 16 December 2012, the LDP/Komeito coalition secured a supermajority and came back into government.[2][3]
In the 2024 general election, the LDP–Komeito coalition lost its majority for the first time since 2009. Although the LDP still remained the largest party, the coalition fell short of the 233 seats needed for a majority, securing only 215 and they formed the minority government.[4][5][6]
On 10 October 2025, Komeito chief representative Tetsuo Saito announced that it would leave the ruling coalition, over disagreements with new LDP president Sanae Takaichi.[7][8] Following Komeito's withdrawal, the LDP formed a coalition agreement with the Japan Innovation Party.[9]
Electoral results
House of Representatives
| Election | Leaders | Seats | Constituency | PR Block | Position | Status | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LDP | Komeito | Number | +/- | Votes | % | Votes | % | |||
| 2000 | Yoshiro Mori | Takenori Kanzaki | 264 / 480
|
New | 26,177,560 | 42.99 | 24,705,457 | 41.28 | 1st | Majority |
| 2003 | Junichiro Koizumi | 271 / 480
|
7 | 26,975,834 | 45.34 | 29,393,629 | 49.74 | 1st | Majority | |
| 2005 | 327 / 480
|
56 | 33,499,495 | 49.21 | 34,875,418 | 51.43 | 1st | Majority | ||
| 2009 | Tarō Asō | Akihiro Ota | 140 / 480
|
187 | 28,084,966 | 37.57 | 26,864,224 | 38.18 | 2nd | Opposition |
| 2012 | Shinzo Abe | Natsuo Yamaguchi | 325 / 480
|
185 | 26,529,190 | 44.5 | 23,740,931 | 39.69 | 1st | Majority |
| 2014 | 326 / 475
|
1 | 26,226,839 | 49.55 | 24,973,152 | 46.82 | 1st | Majority | ||
| 2017 | 313 / 465
|
13 | 27,333,230 | 49.32 | 25,533,429 | 45.79 | 1st | Majority | ||
| 2021 | Fumio Kishida | 291 / 465
|
22 | 28,499,166 | 49.6 | 27,029,165 | 47.04 | 1st | Majority | |
| 2024 | Shigeru Ishiba | Keiichi Ishii | 215 / 465
|
76 | 21,598,163 | 39.81 | 20,547,105 | 37.66 | 1st | Minority |
House of Councillors
| Election | Leaders | Seats | Constituency | PR Block | Position | Status | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LDP | Komeito | Total | Contested | Votes | % | Votes | % | |||
| 2001 | Junichiro Koizumi | Takenori Kanzaki | 134 / 247
|
77 / 121
|
25,768,489 | 47.42 | 29,302,531 | 53.53 | 1st | Majority |
| 2004 | 139 / 242
|
60 / 121
|
21,849,718 | 38.93 | 25,418,951 | 45.44 | 1st | Majority | ||
| 2007 | Shinzo Abe | Akihiro Ota | 103 / 242
|
46 / 121
|
22,140,865 | 37.31 | 24,310,000 | 41.26 | 2nd | Minority (until 2009) |
| Opposition (since 2009) | ||||||||||
| 2010 | Sadakazu Tanigaki | Natsuo Yamaguchi | 103 / 242
|
60 / 121
|
21,761,901 | 37.26 | 21,711,103 | 37.14 | 2nd | Opposition (until 2012) |
| Minority (since 2012) | ||||||||||
| 2013 | Shinzo Abe | 135 / 242
|
76 / 121
|
25,405,639 | 47.87 | 26,028,417 | 48.9 | 1st | Majority | |
| 2016 | 146 / 242
|
70 / 121
|
26,854,215 | 47.48 | 27,687,748 | 49.43 | 1st | Majority | ||
| 2019 | 141 / 245
|
71 / 124
|
23,943,689 | 47.54 | 24,248,709 | 48.42 | 1st | Majority | ||
| 2022 | Fumio Kishida | 146 / 248
|
76 / 125
|
24,203,788 | 45.51 | 24,437,677 | 46.09 | 1st | Majority | |
| 2025 | Shigeru Ishiba | Tetsuo Saito | 122 / 248
|
47 / 125
|
17,645,807 | 29.83 | 18,018,876 | 30.44 | 1st | Minority |
References
- ^ "Critics: 'Pacifist' Komeito lost its way as member of the coalition". The Asahi Shimbun. 19 November 2023. Archived from the original on 2024-01-20. Retrieved 2025-07-14.
- ^ Nagano, Yuriko; Demick, Barbara (16 December 2012). "Japan conservatives win landslide election victory". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
- ^ "Japan election: LDP's Shinzo Abe vows tough China line". BBC. 16 December 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
- ^ "Japan's ruling bloc loses lower house majority, a red flag for PM". Kyodo News. 2024-10-28. Archived from the original on 27 October 2024.
- ^ "Japan's ruling coalition loses majority, election outcome in balance". Reuters. 2024-10-26. Archived from the original on 13 November 2024.
- ^ "Japan's ruling party loses its majority in blow to new PM". BBC News. 2024-10-27. Archived from the original on 27 October 2024.
- ^ "Japan's ruling coalition splits, throwing Takaichi's PM bid into doubt". Reuters. 2025-10-10.
- ^ "Japan's Komeito to leave ruling coalition with LDP under Takaichi, NHK reports". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-10-10.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ 自民・維新 連立政権樹立で正式合意 両党首が文書に署名 [LDP and Ishin formally agree to form coalition government, leaders of both parties sign document]. NHK. 20 October 2025. Archived from the original on 20 October 2025. Retrieved 20 October 2025.