Japan’s Komeito Grapples with Role of Opposition Party, Expresses Concerns Over Decisions Made by LDP-JIP Coalition

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:48 JST, October 22, 2025

With Komeito now an opposition party, it is grappling with how to maintain an appropriate political distance from the Liberal Democratic Party, its former coalition partner. The LDP on Tuesday launched a new administration under a coalition with the Japan Innovation Party.

While some Komeito members are urging for its policy goals to be realized through collaboration with the ruling camp, others oppose policies proposed by the LDP and the JIP, such as a reduction in the number of seats in the House of Representatives.

Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito told reporters Tuesday, “An opposition party’s role is to monitor the government. I want to hold robust debates with Prime Minister [Sanae] Takaichi.”

However, demonstrating the dichotomy faced within Komeito, he added, “We want to realize our policy goals through collaboration with the ruling parties.”

A mid-ranked Komeito lawmaker lamented, “Losing the ability to demonstrate policy goals to our supporters is a bitter blow.”

Komeito notified the LDP of its intention to leave the previous coalition on Oct. 10. The LDP began talks for a new coalition with the JIP on Oct. 15, and accepted a wide range of requests from it before finally agreeing to launch the new coalition.

A number of points in the agreement between the LDP and the JIP are hard for Komeito to accept.

Under the written agreement to form the new LDP-JIP coalition is a goal to reduce the number of lower house seats by about 10%. Komeito is concerned that, as a consequence, the number of seats allocated under proportional representation may be cut. The party has generally placed importance on proportional representation races in its election strategy.

LDP Secretary General Shunichi Suzuki said at a press conference, “Cutting the number of lower house seats in constituencies is difficult.” This view is also held by JIP leader Hirofumi Yoshimura, who is proposing to instead cut proportional representation seats.

A senior Komeito member called it “harassment against Komeito.”

The LDP-JIP agreement stipulates that the provision of a ¥20,000 per person cash handout will not be carried out. Komeito had repeatedly asked the government to implement it.

Komeito has not ruled out the possibility of resuming its coalition ties with the LDP in the future.

But some Komeito members voiced feelings of distrust. “The LDP has made decisions which will make it difficult for us to reenter a coalition with it,” one said.