Japan’s ruling coalition, comprised of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its partner Komeito, has officially lost its majority in the upper house of Parliament following the latest elections. The results were confirmed by regional electoral commission data, according to a report by TASS.

To retain control, the coalition needed to win at least 50 out of the 124 contested seats. However, projections show that the LDP and Komeito will only be able to secure 49 seats at most, even under the most favorable conditions based on the current vote tally.

The coalition had previously lost its majority in the lower house during the fall of last year. Despite that setback, internal divisions among opposition parties allowed the LDP to maintain power by forming a minority government. Now, with back-to-back defeats in both chambers of Parliament, criticism is mounting within the ruling party.

Some LDP members have publicly stated that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba should be held accountable for the second consecutive parliamentary loss. Nevertheless, Ishiba has indicated that he has no intention of stepping down and will continue in his role as head of government. The loss marks a significant shift in Japan’s political landscape and could lead to increased instability or calls for new negotiations across party lines.