Congratulating Japan on the successful completion of its general election on Monday, the Foreign Ministry also directed Taiwan’s representative office in Japan to congratulate the newly elected members of the Japan-ROC Diet Members’ Consultative Council and other pro-Taiwan lawmakers. The ministry adds that it looks forward to deepening substantial cooperation with Japan's new government and political parties.
Japan held its national elections last Sunday, resulting in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) losing its parliamentary majority. According to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, the LDP and its coalition partner Komeito won only 215 out of the 465 seats in the House of Representatives, falling short of the 233 required for a majority. This is the first time in 15 years that the LDP, which has governed nearly uninterrupted since 1955, has lost its majority in the lower house. With the National Diet set to convene for the prime minister nomination vote, it's uncertain whether Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will be re-nominated.
Taiwanese experts weighed in on the election results' impact on Monday during a symposium organized by the Institute for National Policy Research. Yang Chun-chih (楊鈞池), a political science professor at the National University of Kaohsiung, said that the uncertainty in Japan’s political landscape may lead to changes in Japan's economic and foreign policy. DPP Legislator Kuo Kuo-Wen (郭國文) said that it is necessary to observe further developments for any structural changes but expects the instability to extend to next year’s upper house elections. Nonetheless, he called on the Taiwan government to establish ties with all of Japan’s political parties and foster good relations.