The Japanese Communist Party faced a significant setback in the recent election, losing half of its seats in the House of Representatives and only able to pose questions in the House of Councilors during a recent parliamentary session.
On the final day of the representative questioning session regarding Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's policy speech, the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) and Reiwa Shinsengumi managed to finally ask questions, despite having faced serious setbacks in the most recent House of Representatives election. The JCP, which has historically pressed hard on the ruling government, finds itself in a position where it can only speak in the House of Councilors, marking the first time in 56 years that it was unable to represent itself in the House of Representatives. This stark decline in representation highlights significant challenges for the JCP as it grapples with a dwindling influence within Japan's political landscape.
During the questioning, JCP's Secretary-General Akira Koike aggressively challenged the Prime Minister on various issues, emphasizing that it is dangerous to pursue military expansions under the influence of the Trump administration. Koike also voiced that any attempts by current rulers to amend the constitution for their benefit are unacceptable. This was a critical opportunity for the JCP, as it came after three days of questioning—the only chance to voice opinions amid what they see as key issues affecting the nation, ranging from economic to foreign policies.
The elections saw the JCP’s share of proportional representation votes drop from 8 seats to just 4, resulting in the party losing significant operational power, including the inability to appoint members to the Diet's steering committee. New and emerging political forces have gained ground in the House of Representatives during this election, further complicating the landscape for the JCP as it seeks to reposition itself and regain influence in Japanese politics.
