Why does Japan struggle to keep leaders in office?
One major reason lies in the architecture of Japan’s bicameral legislature, especially the power of the House of Councillors (upper house). While Japan’s Constitution makes the lower house (House of Representatives) superior in matters of legislation, a rejected bill can only be overridden with a two-thirds majority in the lower house — a high bar.
As a result, when the ruling party lacks control of the upper house — a scenario known as “divided government” — it becomes significantly harder to govern. In these cases, legislative deadlock, political brinkmanship, and public frustration all tend to rise, weakening the prime minister’s standing and often triggering resignations.
For example, in 1998, after the LDP lost an upper house election, Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto was forced to step down despite holding the lower house majority. More recently, leaders like Abe Shinzō (during his first term), Fukuda Yasuo, and Kan Naoto were all pushed out during periods of divided government.
However, the upper house alone doesn’t explain everything. Leaders like Yoshir Mori (2000-01) and Yukio Hatoyama (2009-10) stepped down even with relatively stable parliamentary control. Clearly, other factors are at play.
Factionalism within LDP
The LDP is not a unified ideological bloc but a collection of factions — informal, often competing power groups within the party. While factional politics have declined in influence since their heyday in the 1970s and 1980s, they still shape leadership contests and policymaking.
Prime ministers must constantly navigate these internal dynamics to survive. Unlike in more presidential-style systems, Japanese prime ministers are more dependent on party consensus and backroom support than on popular mandates. When approval ratings dip — either due to economic missteps, scandals, or international miscalculations — factions may quickly withdraw their support, setting the stage for leadership changes.
This is what happened with Ishiba, who lost internal support after poor electoral showings and was forced out before a formal challenge could even be mounted. The new leader, Takaichi, inherits not just the position but the same unstable foundation.
Cultural expectations and public sentiment
Japan’s political culture places a high value on consensus and accountability. When a government loses an election or a major policy initiative fails, resignation is often seen as the honourable course of action — even if the political stakes are not existential.
This cultural expectation contributes to the speed with which Japanese leaders step aside after setbacks. In other countries, such as the US or UK, leaders often weather scandals and policy defeats without resigning. In Japan, even minor missteps can create pressure to leave office, especially if public opinion turns sharply negative.
Additionally, Japan’s media and electorate tend to demand immediate political accountability — which, in practice, translates into frequent leadership turnovers.
AloJapan.com