Probability of LDP’s Takaichi Becoming Japan’s 1st Female Prime Minister Increases after JIP Ends Cooperation Talks with Opposition Parties

The Yomiuri Shimbun

14:26 JST, October 18, 2025

Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi is highly likely to become the next prime minister after the Japan Innovation Party told the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Democratic Party for the People on Friday that it would end talks with the opposition parties regarding cooperation for the prime ministerial election.

The election is set to be held at the upcoming extraordinary Diet session on Tuesday.

During their second day of coalition talks on Friday, the LDP specified its stance on the JIP’s calls for policy measures.

According to JIP senior officials, the LDP agreed to reduce the number of Diet seats, which is currently 465 in the House of Representatives and 248 in the House of Councillors. Details, such as exactly how many seats will be cut and whether to set a deadline, will be decided later.

However, the two parties could not bridge the gap on banning political donations by companies and groups as well as on lowering the consumption tax rate on food to zero for two years.

Yoshimura: 10% cut is a condition

During a TV program on Saturday, JIP leader and Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura reiterated his party’s stance that reducing the number of Diet seats by 10% is a condition for forming a coalition with the LDP.

If this demand is not accepted, JIP lawmakers intend to vote for its coleader Fumitake Fujita in the prime ministerial election, Yoshimura added.

The JIP side has called the reduction of Diet seats an “absolute condition” for forming the coalition. The party is calling for the implementation of related legislation by the end of this year.

The LDP and the JIP plan to hold a meeting between their leaders on Monday to formally conclude an agreement once the final changes are made.