CDPJ opposition leader Yoshihiko Noda after the recent election
Japan LNG to gain traction from political inertia
The crumbling of the country’s postwar political consensus may bolster the country’s LNG demand outlook by stymieing planned nuclear restarts
Japan’s recent snap elections have created a situation unprecedented in the country’s postwar history. After US occupation following the Second World War, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) governed Japan without interruption until 2009, when it was briefly ousted from power, before returning to govern in coalition with the Komeito party from 2012. But the scandal-tainted LDP-Komeito coalition saw its support decline in the latest elections, and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba now faces the prospect of attempting to govern without a parliamentary majority. The stage is set for further political turmoil and a new era in which other political parties may be able to influence or block policy—part
Also in this section
19 March 2026
The regional crisis highlights the undervalued role of fixed pipelines in the age of tanker flexibility
18 March 2026
Rising LNG exports and AI-driven power demand have raised concerns that US gas prices could climb sharply, but analysts say abundant shale supply and continued productivity gains should keep Henry Hub within a range that preserves the competitiveness of US LNG
18 March 2026
Risks of shortages in oil products may cause world leaders to panic and make mistakes instead of letting the market do what it does best
17 March 2026
The crisis in the Middle East has put LNG’s ability to offer security and flexibility under uncomfortable scrutiny
