Shigeru Ishiba Reelected as Japan's Prime Minister

Shigeru Ishiba has been re-elected as Japan's prime minister in a runoff vote, marking the first such election in over 30 years, amidst significant challenges following a general election that left his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner Komeito without a majority. Ishiba secured 221 votes against 160 for Yoshihiko Noda of the Constitutional Democratic Party, with the LDP and Komeito needing outside support to govern effectively. The last election resulted in the LDP's worst performance in 15 years, largely attributed to public dissatisfaction with rising inflation and a scandal impacting his predecessor. Although Ishiba's government holds just 215 seats in the 465-seat parliament, he is expected to announce a new Cabinet and seeks cooperation from the smaller Democratic Party for the People on a vote-by-vote basis. The political landscape remains precarious as the opposition's pressure mounts for reforms, and Ishiba's approval ratings hover just above 30%. His administration must also address foreign policy challenges, particularly with a changing U.S. leadership and regional tensions with China and North Korea.