Komeito Struggles to Find Its Way after Leaving Ruling Bloc

Tokyo, Jan. 9 (Jiji Press)–Advocating a “centrist” stance, Komeito is struggling to define its strategy over how far to keep its distance from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration and how to engage with other opposition parties. The party has yet to articulate a clear opposition stance after ending its coalition with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party last October, terminating their 26-year cooperation. Since then, it has stepped up criticism of hawkish policies promoted by the Takaichi administration and the ruling coalition between the LDP and its new partner, the Japan Innovation Party (Nippon Ishin no Kai). While expecting cooperation from the ruling camp to realize its policy goals, Komeito has also kept a certain distance from the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, which is calling on opposition parties to unite centrist forces. Komeito is now enjoying more flexibility as an opposition party, but it has yet to set its political strategy. “We don’t have a clear image as an opposition party right now,” Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito said after the end of an extraordinary session of the Diet, Japan’s parliament, in December, the first Diet session since leaving the ruling coalition. This struggle was exemplified by the party’s response to the fiscal 2025 supplementary budget bill. Komeito submitted a motion with the CDP to revise the draft budget, but ultimately voted in favor of the government’s bill as some of its policy requests were included in it. The move highlighted inconsistencies in its position. “We cannot fully become an opposition party, and we have not completely left the ruling bloc,” a veteran Komeito member said. The party is maintaining a stance of policy-by-policy cooperation with the ruling bloc in a bid to have the administration meet its demands. It is discussing original policy proposals, such as establishing a sovereign wealth fund, facing the need for cooperation from the ruling camp to realize its policy goals. However, the distance between Komeito and the ruling coalition may widen further. The government and the ruling parties plan to abolish rules limiting defense equipment exports to items for five categories, such as rescue and transportation, as early as this spring. Komeito, which advocates itself as a “party of peace,” has criticized the Takaichi administration’s rightward shift. “The government intends to change the rules without deep discussions,” Saito has said. “We have no choice but to worry about that.” The issue of the LDP’s high-profile slush fund scandal, which prompted Komeito to dissolve its coalition with the LDP, remains unsettled. Meanwhile, Komeito has maintained a cautious attitude toward collaboration with the CDP. The CDP is attempting to strengthen ties with Komeito ahead of the next election for the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet. But a senior Komeito official voiced concern that regional branches of the party cannot work together with the CDP as they had opposed each other when Komeito was part of the ruling coalition. Saito said in his first 2026 street speech on Jan. 2 that his party wants to “create centrist politics” this year. The party will explore possible stances, such as strengthening a confrontational attitude against the government and maintaining a balanced position, in the ordinary Diet session set to be convened on Jan. 23. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]