On November 11, 2024, Japan's parliament voted to reappoint Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba following a recent electoral setback. Ishiba's coalition, led by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), lost its majority in the lower house during the October 27 elections. However, the LDP and its coalition partner, Komeito, retained the largest bloc of seats.
The parliamentary vote required a second round for the first time in three decades, as no candidate secured an outright majority in the initial round. Ishiba ultimately garnered 221 votes in the runoff, defeating former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda of the Constitutional Democratic Party, who received 160 votes.
Following the vote, Ishiba reappointed key Cabinet members, including Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, while replacing three others affected by the election results. Despite the coalition's loss, Ishiba aims to seek additional partners to restore a majority government.
The Democratic Party for the People, which holds 28 seats, has been approached for potential support, though it remains unwilling to formalize a coalition. Meanwhile, party leader Yuichiro Tamaki faces scrutiny following revelations of an extramarital affair.
Looking ahead, Ishiba's immediate task is to compile a supplementary budget for the fiscal year ending in March. He also prepares for upcoming elections in the upper house and a busy international schedule, including the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru and the G20 summit in Brazil on November 18 and 19. Additionally, Ishiba seeks to arrange discussions with US President-elect Donald Trump around the time of the G20 summit.