Photo/Illutration Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, responds to a question at a news conference at the LDP's headquarters on Oct. 28. (Takeshi Iwashita)

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed his intention to continue to hold the reins of government despite his ruling coalition’s loss of a majority in the Lower House election.

“I will tackle with current severe challenges,” Ishiba, president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, told a news conference on Oct. 28, a day after the election. “I want to continue to carry out my duties.”

Ishiba was responding to a question about his responsibility for failing to achieve his goal of the LDP-Komeito coalition winning a majority, or 233 seats, of the 465-seat Lower House.

The LDP faced a stiff headwind over its political fund scandal. Party lawmakers failed to properly report large amounts of proceeds from fund-raising parties.

The two coalition partners secured only 215 seats between them, down 64 seats from before official campaigning started on Oct. 15.

The LDP’s strength shrank 56 seats to 191, while Komeito’s fell 8 seats to 24.

The responsibilities of the LDP leadership have been called into question.

Shinjiro Koizumi, chairman of the party’s Election Strategy Committee, submitted his resignation on Oct. 28, and Ishiba accepted it before his news conference.

LDP Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama has expressed his intention to stay on in the party’s No. 2 post.

The ruling coalition will be forced to seek cooperation from opposition parties for stable government administration and could expand its framework to include a new party.

Within the LDP, Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party) and the Democratic Party for the People have floated as a potential partner.

At the news conference, Ishiba said he has no intention to immediately form a new coalition government.

“At this point, I do not have a coalition (with other parties) in my mind,” he said. “We must begin by humbly incorporating and thoroughly discussing each other’s policies.”

He said the LDP will fulfill its responsibilities as the party that received the most seats in the election to gain public understanding for its stance of working with different parties.

Speaking about the election outcome, Ishiba said the LDP received “a severe dressing-down from voters about its reform stance” over the fund-raising scandal.

He said he intends to implement more drastic reforms to address issues concerning money in politics.

“We need to discuss political reforms across party lines and try to realize it swiftly,” he said.

As examples, Ishiba cited such issues as abolition of policy activities expenses, greater disclosure about communication, transportation and accommodation allowances and establishment of a third-party organ based on the revised Political Fund Control Law.

“Going back to my basics, I will spearhead hard-hitting reforms of our party by eliminating everything that the public thinks is the logic of party insiders,” he said.

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