Political Rebalance in Tokyo and U.S.-Japan Relations (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Dec. 2, 2024 |
| Report Number |
IN12466 |
| Report Type |
Insight |
| Authors |
Daniel J. Longo; Mark E. Manyin |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
The U.S.-Japan alliance has been a centerpiece of the United States’ strategy toward the Indo-Pacific
region, as the two countries have grown increasingly aligned in responding to the People’s Republic of
China’s (PRC’s or China’s) rising military and economic assertiveness. Upgraded U.S.-Japan cooperation
has coincided with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-led coalition’s majority in Japan’s parliament
(known as the Diet) since 2012. This political era may have come to an end: in October elections for the
Diet’s Lower House, the LDP and its coalition partner, the Komeito Party, lost their majority for the first
time since 2009, thrusting Japanese politics into a period of uncertainty. The loss came amid voter
dissatisfaction over rising inflation and a fundraising scandal involving the LDP Prime Minister Shigeru
Ishiba, who became Japan’s premier on October 1. The LDP now leads a minority government. It may
have to forge compromises with the opposition parties to pass legislation on a range of issues, including
the budget and issues of importance to the United States, such as defense spending. More broadly, the
election results may have placed Ishiba in a tenuous political position, adding new uncertainties to the
U.S.-Japan relationship.
