Tokyo - Japan’s ruling coalition collapsed on Oct 10 after

its junior partner Komeito quit

The announcement came less than a week after she became the Liberal Democratic Party’s fifth leader in as many years, tasked with winning back disaffected voters.

The main reason given by Komeito party chief Tetsuo Saito was what he called the LDP’s failure to tighten rules on the funding of political parties.

This follows a scandal within the LDP that emerged in 2024 involving dodgy payments of millions of dollars related to ticket sales for fundraising events.

The revelations cost then-prime minister Fumio Kishida his job, led to several LDP factions being dissolved and to voters deserting the party at elections.

Ms Takaichi caused particular consternation to Komeito by appointing Mr Koichi Hagiuda, who was embroiled in the scandal, to a senior party post, reports said.

“For the Komeito party, which champions public integrity, it is difficult to explain this to its supporters and those working hard on the election campaign,” Prof Hidehiro Yamamoto, politics and sociology professor at the University of Tsukuba, told AFP.

“To them, it feels like they are losing elections with the LDP. There is little benefit to the coalition (for Komeito),” he said.

Komeito began in the 1950s as the political wing of the Soka Gakkai, a large lay organisation affiliated with a major Buddhist sect.

Many members have voiced anxiety about Ms Takaichi, who has promoted staunchly conservative policies and has been a regular visitor to the Yasukuni shrine.