Why did the Liberal-Democratic Party lose its House of Representatives majority in 2024?

The Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP) lost its majority in the House of Representatives in the October 2024 snap election primarily due to a persistent lack of public trust in the party. This disillusionment was rooted in a series of political scandals—including a controversy involving unreported campaign funds—and economic stagnation, which had already severely damaged the party's public perception during the tenure of former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.123

When Shigeru Ishiba succeeded Kishida as prime minister and called the snap election to secure a mandate, he failed to restore this public confidence. The resulting loss of the LDP's majority marked the first time the party had fallen below that threshold in the lower house since 2009. This electoral setback was part of a broader period of instability for the LDP, which had struggled with internal cohesion, rising living costs, and the fallout from the 2022 assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.132