Bruised Japan PM scrambles for support

TOKYO

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling party was reportedly locked in talks to form new alliances on Tuesday after losing its parliamentary majority in an election debacle.

The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed Japan almost non-stop since 1955, and coalition partner Komeito fell short of a majority in Oct. 27's election, official results confirmed on Tuesday.

Ishiba said on Oct. 28 he would not quit despite his party's worst election result in 15 years, indicating he would head a minority government as he was not considering a broader coalition "at this point."

But media reports on Tuesday said the LDP was talking to opposition parties about arrangements to ensure Ishiba can get legislation through, and also remain prime minister.

Together with the Komeito party, the LDP won 215 of parliament's 465 lower house seats.

One potential kingmaker is the Democratic Party for the People (DPP), whose 28 seats would push the LDP-Komeito coalition over the 233-mark for a majority.

According to the Yomiuri newspaper, Ishiba has decided to seek a "partial" coalition with the centrist DPP, whose manifesto included subsidies for reducing energy bills.

"If there is a request for talks between party leaders, there is no reason to reject it, though it depends on what we will discuss," DPP leader Yuichiro Tamaki said on Tuesday.

"Talks between party secretary generals are currently taking place and there are various communications... but I don't feel like anything concrete is proceeding," he said.