The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), still reeling from poor October 2024 election results, got together this week to discuss how it can better appeal to the voters of Japan. However, an X post by Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru inadvertently showed why the party is hemorrhaging support – particularly among Japan’s young.
“Like an old folk’s home”
The post from PM Ishiba was from a meeting of the LDP’s secretaries-general, who had convened to discuss their strategy for the upcoming Upper House election this summer. The post was meant to show everyone working hard and being serious.
The post bombed, with only around 2,608 likes and almost the same number of (mostly outraged) comments. To most, what the post showed was that the LDP remains a party of old men who are out of touch with today’s voters. Even worse, Ishiba posted this picture showing nothing but old dudes in the LDP on March 8th – International Women’s Day.
“It’s one hell of a weird scene,” user @miyoshiiii wrote. “Nothing but old men….this is why Japan is flailing.”
“I thought it was the day care room of an old folk’s home,” user @kaiser_gyne quipped.
Writer and editor Sarah FUJII (@cobta) took aim at the lack of women. “Women make up half of society – but the ones making the important decisions about society are geezers, geezers everywhere.”
Poll: LDP rapidly losing support among Japan’s youth
Japan’s paucity of female representation in politics is a major factor in its low yearly ranking on the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Report. Most political parties in Japan have struggled with adequate female representation. The LDP isn’t the worst offender – but it’s second to last. In the last election cycle, only around 16% of its candidates were women.
However, the party’s age is also leading it to lose touch with younger voters. According to the OECD (via NTV), Japan ranks at the bottom of developed countries in terms of the number of legislators who are in their 30s and 40s. Over half of the LDP’s candidates in 2021 elections were in their 50s and 60s.
More recent data should give the LDP even greater cause for alarm. According to Sankei Shimbun, a joint Sankei/Fuji News Network poll run on February 22nd and 23rd shows that, among 30-year-olds, the Democratic Party for the People (DPP) and Reiwa Shinsengumi are, in the paper’s words, leaving the LDP in the dust. DPP leads this category by 15.9%, with Reiwa picking up 14.4% support. The LDP comes in a shocking third place.
The LDP still leads among everyone 40 years old and older. And given Japan’s declining and aging population, maybe the party is hoping it can hold on with that demographic’s support alone. Because it sure isn’t acting like a party that needs – or wants – younger voters.
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