Komeito Leader Strives to Raise Profile on China Trip; Saito Aims to Shore Up Standing Before Summer Election

By Tatsuya Tanoue / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

20:00 JST, April 24, 2025

Komeito’s Chief Representative Tetsuo Saito met with Chinese Communist Party leaders in China on Wednesday, aiming to showcase his contribution to strengthening Japan-China relations.

As Saito nears the May 9 half-year mark since his inauguration as the leader of Komeito, his limited policy achievements are fueling unease within the party ahead of the summer House of Councillors election.

Saito met with Wang Huning, the fourth-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party and chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference National Committee, in Beijing on Wednesday and presented a personal letter from Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba addressed to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

During the talks, Saito expressed his concerns about China’s assertive actions in the East China Sea and the detention of Japanese nationals. He also called for the prompt removal of import restrictions on Japanese seafood.

“We had a frank exchange on pending issues between both countries and reached a shared understanding on the need to continue dialogue,” he told reporters after the meeting.

Komeito, the Liberal Democratic Party’s ruling coalition partner, has historically valued its relationship with China, with successive leaders making visits there. In 2023, then Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi met with the fifth-ranking member of the Chinese Communist Party. Saito, in his “diplomatic debut,” met with the fourth-ranking member, indicating more favorable treatment from the Chinese side.

Domestically, however, Saito is struggling to achieve policy breakthroughs.

In response to U.S. tariffs and price increase, Saito advocated for “temporary cash benefits on the premise of tax relief” during a party meeting on April 10. However, the government decided not to compile a supplementary budget, making it difficult to implement the measure during the current Diet session.

In their pursuit of becoming the “key to consensus” within the minority ruling coalition, they are coordinating with the opposition Democratic Party for the People to urge the LDP to implement stricter regulations on corporate and organizational political donations. However, there appears to be no prospect of realizing that goal.

Discussions with the LDP concerning the implementation of a selective surname system for married couples, as advocated by Komeito, are also deadlocked.

With the DPFP’s approval ratings on the rise, Komeito is deeply concerned about being eclipsed by the opposition party and becoming politically irrelevant.

Saito maintains an amicable relationship with Ishiba, with whom he shares roots in the Chugoku region and a common interest in railways. Saito’s affable personality has made him popular within and beyond the party, leading a veteran LDP member to describe him as “the nicest person in the political world.”

However, some within Komeito express dissatisfaction, with one of them saying he “lacks assertiveness and has not exploited his connections.” They demand tangible achievements leading up to the upper house election, casting doubt on his leadership.