LDP and Ishin: Turn Your Agreed Policies Into Concrete Change

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and opposition party, Nippon Ishin no Kai (Ishin), are carrying on policy discussions. The question is whether they will reach sufficient agreement to form a coalition government.

If they can reach a formal agreement, Ishin no Kai would support LDP president Sanae Takaichi as the candidate for prime minister in the extraordinary Diet session opening on October 21.

The two parties have reportedly already reached an agreement on 12 points that Ishin no Kai champions. These involve basic policies regarding constitutional reform, national security, and energy, including nuclear power.

Negotiations continue regarding those issues where there is a gap between the two parties' positions. Among them are Ishin's proposals to lower the consumption tax rate on food items to zero, ban corporate political donations, and reduce the number of Diet members by 10%.

*Japan Ishin no Kai co-chair Fumitake Fujita speaks at a general meeting of both houses of the Diet. October 16. (©Sankei by Ataru Haruna)*

Translating Agreed Policy Into Concrete Measures

Japan currently faces serious challenges, and restoring political stability is important for addressing them. Therefore, the LDP and Ishin no Kai should deepen their discussions on basic policies that they agree on. Next, they should translate those policies into concrete measures for implementation.

Political parties with left-leaning views are losing support among Japanese voters. This was amply demonstrated in the October 27, 2024, Lower House and July 20, 2025, Upper House elections. The times demand the implementation of realistic policies. Many of the 12 points raised by Ishin no Kai overlap with the LDP's own positions, including policies concerning foreigners in Japan. Their negotiators should prioritize these areas to push forward.

Ishin requests regarding foreign policy and national security include moving up the revision of the three security-related documents decided by the Kishida Cabinet in 2022. Other positions Ishin favors include enabling stand-off defense capabilities, such as long-range missiles with counterattack capabilities.

The anti-Japan, nuclear-armed, authoritarian regimes in China, Russia, and North Korea are deepening their strategic ties and thus posing a growing threat. Drastic strengthening of defense capabilities commensurate with the region's rapidly changing security environment is an urgent task.

*Sanae Takaichi, president of the LDP. Behind her is LDP Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki. (©Sankei by Naoki Aikawa)*

Amending Japan's Constitution

Japan's constitution is the foundation of the country. The LDP and Ishin both agree to establish a council for drafting amendments to Article 9 of the Constitution. They are also united on submitting a draft article on emergency clauses to the Diet.

Both parties have called for the Self-Defense Forces (SDF) to be explicitly mentioned in Article 9. Ultimately, Article 9, Paragraph 2, which states that Japan will never maintain military forces, must be deleted, and Japan's right to possess its own "military forces" must be explicitly recognized.

If a council is indeed established, it should also hold discussions with an eye to the future. Geographically, large-scale disasters such as a major Nankai Trough earthquake and other emergencies are probabilities Japan must prepare for. Therefore, the Diet should also move forward with codifying an emergency clause that would allow authorities to respond properly.

To ensure stable policies regarding imperial succession, Ishin no Kai calls for an amendment to the Imperial House Law to allow the adoption of male descendants of former imperial families. That is in line with the recommendations made in the government report on the issue. Measures that reflect the most important principle of the imperial line, namely male-line succession, are also urgently needed.