Despite losing its parliamentary majority in snap elections, Japan's ruling coalition will likely stay in power but will face greater legislative gridlock and a higher probability for rapid turnover in the role of premier in 2025, while in a low likelihood scenario, an opposition government would result in even more legislative gridlock and could strain U.S. defense and economic ties. The Oct. 27 snap elections for the powerful lower house of Japan's Diet saw the ruling coalition of the big-tent, conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its center-right minor coalition partner Komeito, lose its majority, dropping from a combined 288 seats to 215 seats in the 465-seat House of Representatives. Within that total, the LDP dropped from 255 to 191 seats and Komeito from 32 to 24. Meanwhile, the main opposition party, the center-left Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), gained 50 seats, rising to a total of 148, while the right-wing...
