Japan faces political instability as ruling coalition loses majority – POLITICO

Japan’s ruling coalition lost its majority in an election Sunday, leaving the world’s fourth-largest economy facing the prospect of minority governance or smaller parties acting as kingmakers in coalition talks.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba called a snap election less than a month ago upon assuming the leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party, which has ruled Japan for most of its post-war history.

But the move, which aimed to capitalize on a new-leader bounce and cement Ishiba’s credibility, backfired, with voters punishing the party for inflation and a funding scandal that led to the expulsion of some members.