A Japanese scholar on Thursday pointed out deep-rooted social issues are key drivers behind the political defeat of Japan's ruling coalition in the general election.
Following Japan's general election on Oct 27, the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its partner Komeito fell short of the majority threshold, bringing political uncertainty to an economy that is already facing an array of challenges.
The LDP and Komeito got a total of 215 of the 465 seats in the powerful chamber of parliament, below the 233 seats needed for the majority. The LDP alone won 191 seats, much less than the 247 seats it held prior to the election.
In contrast, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party significantly increased its representation, rising from 98 seats before the election to 148 seats.
"One of the reasons the Ishiba government isn't popular is due to the persistent funding scandal, but that's not the only reason. What most people are worried about is obviously the economy and their salaries. Following that are concerns about social welfare and security. Currently, prices in Japan are skyrocketing, with housing costs in places like Tokyo continually on the rise. However, salary increments have failed to keep pace. Consequently, people are feeling the pinch in their day-to-day life," said Ryo Sahashi, a professor at the Institute of Advanced Studies on Asia, University of Tokyo. Japan's parliament is scheduled to convene a special session starting on Nov 11 following the general election. The question of whether the current Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba can secure reelection has become a focal point of public interest and scrutiny.
Expressing apprehension, Sahashi highlights a growing concern that Japan is on the brink of entering another turbulent phase, regardless of the election outcome.
"Before 2012, Japan went through a period where it had six prime ministers in six years. This time highlighted that extreme instability makes it impossible to carry out significant strategies or policies. It is crucial to steer clear of a recurrence of this scenario. However, current developments suggest a return to a similar situation, causing us significant concern," said Sahashi.
Japan's ruling coalition faces election setback amid deep-seated social issues: expert
Japan's ruling coalition faces election setback amid deep-seated social issues: expert
"The water submerged the house right away!" a resident of Paiport recalled the moment the devastating flood struck eastern Valencia in Spain starting from October 29.
As of November 7, floods caused by continuous rains had killed at least 219 people in Spain, with 93 still reported missing.
According to the Spanish government's incomplete statistics, the economic losses are estimated to exceed 10 billion euros. The reconstruction and recovery will demand huge efforts, and full recovery in the affected areas will take a considerable amount of time.
Mari Carmen Guzman in Paiport, Valencia recalled how her home was submerged and said the situation remains dire.
"The storm caught me in the street. Right there, one block from here. You can't imagine the intensity of the rain that day. I had just enough time to make it home and close the door. But the water started to enter very quickly. And the water submerged the house right away. By chance I could go to the upper floor with my dog, and without electricity. Everything was in the dark. For two or three days we had neither lights nor water. It was very rough. Now the street lights have been restored," said Mari Carmen Guzman.
As rescue and relief efforts have poured in from all over the country, those affected by the deadly floods remain hopeful for the future.
"I am in a very dire situation. I am helpless, I am alone. And there's a lot of chaos around here in Paiporta. But, step by step, we will try to overcome this and go forward," said Leo Parra Nieves, a pensioner.
"[We do not have] gas to cook. We do not have hot water either. Everyone hopes nothing terrible would happen to them. But there are a lot of damaged villages. This area was the beginning. The storm began here, but I know there are other towns in dire situation too. We are happy that nobody is dead in our family. The rest can be fixed. All the volunteers here, there are many as you can see, there are 40 or 50, they are working to pump water out of the parking lots. They come from all around Spain. They help us, asking for nothing in return," said another resident.
Volunteers involved in the rescue efforts mentioned that the sewage treatment system had collapsed, streets were covered with mud and broken furniture, and the rescue was hindered by shortage of both manpower and equipment.
"There's much to be done. We lack hands, and also machines, heavy machines, because we have to get rid of all this water. But the sewage system has collapsed. It's impossible to pump out all this water. We take it out from the parking lots to the streets," said a local policeman in Granada, who is also chief of local civil protection.
"What we are mainly doing is clearing mud in houses. And also getting rid of damaged furniture. Now we are waiting for machines to remove all the mud and furniture in the streets to be able to go on emptying the houses," said a volunteer.
Water submerges house right away: residents recall
