Japan’s Takaichi Apologizes to LDP Lawmakers over Komeito’s Exit from Coalition, Calls for Flexible Stance on Policies

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:54 JST, October 15, 2025

Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi apologized at an informal general meeting of LDP Diet members over Komeito’s exit from the ruling coalition, at the party headquarters on Tuesday.

“It is my responsibility. It was all my fault,” Takaichi said, and called for unity among LDP lawmakers.

The informal meeting was closed to the press and lasted for about 90 minutes.

“We acted together with Komeito for 26 years, even during times when [the two parties] were in extremely hard situations,” Takaichi said during the meeting. She then explained the circumstances leading up to Komeito’s announcement that it would exit the coalition.

Following this, Takaichi said: “[The LDP] is the largest party at present in both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. It is important for the nation and the public that a stable administration is built.”

To obtain cooperation from opposition parties, Takaichi urged that the LDP “needs to show an unprecedentedly flexible stance on policies.”

According to LDP lawmakers who attended the informal meeting, about 20 party members made remarks about Takaichi’s speech.

Many of them expressed understanding on Komeito’s exit from the coalition, saying it was unavoidable. There were almost no voices questioning Takaichi’s responsibility for the matter. A view was voiced that the LDP should not show any hostile attitude toward Komeito, with an eye on future election cooperation.

“I feel spurred on. I want to make [the LDP] a party which will be able to continue to win in elections,” Takaichi said, and asked for cooperation.

Toward the end of the informal meeting, LDP Secretary General Shunichi Suzuki said that if Takaichi is elected prime minister, the LDP-led administration would still only be a minority government.

“Komeito has the highest level of affinity with us. Unless we treat [Komeito] carefully and kindly, it will be difficult to manage Diet affairs,” he said.

He also asked the party members in attendance to utilize their respective ties with other parties to obtain cooperation in the election to choose the next prime minister to be held at an extraordinary Diet session.

“Though the outcome was regrettable, we have no intention to sever all relations with Komeito. Severing all ties is impossible,” Suzuki told reporters after the informal meeting.