The Komeito Buddhist formation announced this Friday that it will break its coalition with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) after 26 years of alliance, a departure that jeopardizes the appointment as prime minister of Sanae Takaichi, recently elected leader of the LDP. The numbers don’t come out.
The decision, announced by the leader of the Buddhist formation in a press conference, Tetsuo Saito, comes after days of friction over Takaichi’s conservative positions – he has the British Margaret Thatcher as one of his historical references – and his inclusion in his new board of a parliamentarian marred by an irregular financing scandal in his new board.
The breakup may affect the expected election of the Japanese as prime minister, since the PLD governs in a minority along with Komeito and does not have sufficient support in Parliament to ensure her appointment.
