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The Yomiuri Shimbun Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan President Yoshihiko Noda, left, and Japan Innovation Party leader Nobuyuki Baba talk in the Diet building on Wednesday.
The Yomiuri Shimbun
13:12 JST, October 30, 2024 (updated at 15:50 JST)
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan President Yoshihiko Noda asked Japan Innovation Party leader Nobuyuki Baba on Wednesday to vote for him in balloting to designate the prime minister in the special Diet session expected to be convened on Nov. 11.
During their meeting at the Diet in the morning, Noda told Baba: “The House of Representatives election presented [people’s] rejection of the administration of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito. It’s a great opportunity.”
An upcoming Diet vote for prime minister will likely become a runoff between incumbent Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Noda, who served as prime minister in 2011-12 in an administration of the now defunct Democratic Party of Japan. Noda asked Baba to “write ‘Noda’” for the vote.
In response, Baba did not clarify his stance and took the matter back to his party. Baba told reporters after the meeting, “We will not join forces with the CDPJ if there is no grand cause or reform plan [that we can agree on].”
The two opposition party leaders are expected to continue discussions.
The Democratic Party for the People, meanwhile, confirmed at its executive meeting Wednesday that the party would vote for its own leader, Yuichiro Tamaki, including in the final vote.
The LDP and its coalition partner Komeito are expected to vote for LDP President Ishiba. Following Sunday’s House of Representatives election, the ruling parties now hold 215 seats, which is short of a 233-seat majority. Even if votes from unaffiliated pro-ruling party lawmakers are included, the total still falls short of the majority needed to designate Ishiba to continue as prime minister.
The CDPJ holds 148 seats. Based on the common practice of lawmakers voting for their own party leader, CDPJ head Noda will likely come in second after Ishiba.
The candidate with the most votes will be elected in the runoff, with any votes for third candidates invalid. So, Ishiba may be elected if votes from the opposition parties are split.
Executives of the LDP and Komeito will meet Thursday to decide on a framework of a policy forum with opposition parties, hoping to gain the cooperation of the DPFP.
