By-Election Losses Shake Japan’s Kishida Amidst Scandal Fallout

Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has suffered a setback in by-elections, losing all three contested seats to the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. The losses, attributed to a major kickback scandal involving political fundraising, have raised questions about Kishida’s leadership and potential ouster by LDP lawmakers. Despite the setbacks, the LDP-led ruling bloc maintains a comfortable legislative majority, and Kishida faces no immediate replacement within the party.

Toshihiro Nikai’s Youngest Son to Run in Next Lower House Election

Nobuyasu Nikai, the youngest son of Liberal Democratic Party heavyweight Toshihiro Nikai, is expected to run in the next Lower House election in Wakayama Prefecture. The request came from town and village leaders in the prefecture who want him to succeed his father. Nobuyasu Nikai, 46, has been serving as secretary to his 85-year-old father. He has been asked to stand for election by the leaders of 21 Wakayama towns after his father announced last month that he would not seek reelection. “As the village and town leaders were unanimous in their request that I run, I have to truly take such a request seriously,” the younger Nikai said Wednesday.

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