Editing Politics of Japan (section)

== Political developments since 2020 ==
Contemporary issues such as economic challenges, demographic shifts, and environmental concerns play a significant role in shaping political discourse, highlighting the interplay between these social issues and political responses. Ultimately, the potential for overcoming anxiety over governance is a critical theme, suggesting that increased political participation and engagement could lead to more effective governance and a reduction in public anxiety, all of which contribute to the complex and dynamic nature of Japanese politics. <ref name=":1" />

On 28 August 2020 following reports of ill-health, Abe resigned citing health concerns, triggering a [[2020 Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership election|leadership election]] to replace him as prime minister.<ref>{{cite news|title=Shinzo Abe: Japan's PM resigns for health reasons|work=BBC News|date=28 August 2020|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-53943758|access-date=30 August 2020|archive-date=30 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200830094011/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-53943758|url-status=live}}</ref> Abe was the longest-serving Prime Minister in the political history of Japan.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-53943758|title=Japanese PM Shinzo Abe resigns for health reasons|work=BBC News|date=28 August 2020|access-date=28 August 2020|archive-date=28 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200828080617/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-53943758|url-status=live}}</ref>

After winning the leadership of the governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), [[Chief Cabinet Secretary]] [[Yoshihide Suga]], a close ally of his predecessor, was elected as the 99th prime minister of Japan on 16 September 2020.<ref>{{cite news |title=Yoshihide Suga confirmed as Japan’s new PM, eyes continuity |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/9/16/yoshihide-suga-confirmed-as-japans-new-pm-eyes-continuity |work=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> On 2 September 2021, Suga announced that he would not seek [[2021 Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) leadership election|reelection as LDP President]], effectively ending his term as prime minister.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Rich|first=Motoko|date=2021-09-03|title=Japan's Prime Minister Will Step Aside After Just a Year in Office|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/02/world/asia/japan-suga-resign-election.html|access-date=2021-09-03|issn=0362-4331|archive-date=3 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210903034009/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/02/world/asia/japan-suga-resign-election.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On 4 October 2021, [[Fumio Kishida]] took office as new prime minister. Kishida was elected leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) previous week. He was officially confirmed as the 100th prime minister following a parliamentary vote with appointment by Emperor Naruhito at Tokyo Imperial Palace.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://edition.cnn.com/2021/10/04/asia/japan-prime-minister-kishida-intl-hnk/index.html| title = Fumio Kishida takes office as Japan's new Prime Minister - CNN| date = 4 October 2021}}</ref> On 31 October 2021, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) held onto its single party majority in the [[2021 Japanese general election|general election]].<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-pm-kishida-surprises-with-comfortable-election-win-2021-11-01/| title = Japan PM Kishida, strengthened by election win, lays out broad policy plans| website = [[Reuters]]| date = November 2021| last1 = Park| first1 = Ju-min| last2 = Slodkowski| first2 = Antoni| last3 = Takenaka| first3 = Kiyoshi| access-date = 2 November 2021| archive-date = 2 November 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20211102213459/https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-pm-kishida-surprises-with-comfortable-election-win-2021-11-01/| url-status = live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/40/3/35389786.pdf |title= Net Official Development Assistance In 2004 |access-date= 23 May 2006 |archive-date= 25 January 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120125054233/http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/40/3/35389786.pdf |url-status= dead }}&nbsp;{{small|(32.9&nbsp;[[Kibibyte|KiB]])}}, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 11 April 2005. Retrieved 14 May 2006.</ref>

On 8 July 2022, [[Assassination of Shinzo Abe|former prime minister Shinzo Abe was shot and killed at a campaign rally]] in [[Nara (city)|Nara]] for the [[2022 Japanese House of Councillors election]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Shinzo Abe: Japan ex-leader assassinated while giving speech |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62089486 |work=BBC News |date=8 July 2022 |access-date=19 July 2022 |archive-date=8 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220708040554/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-62089486 |url-status=live }}</ref> State funeral of Abe was held on 27 September at [[Nippon Budokan]].<ref name=":1">{{cite news |last=Ikeda |first=Ken'ichi |date=August 26, 2024 |title=Contemporary Japanese Politics and Anxiety Over Governance |url= |work=Routledge}}</ref>

The [[Economist Intelligence Unit]] (EIU) rated Japan a "full democracy" its report for 2023. According to the [[V-Dem Democracy indices]], Japan was the 23rd most electoral democratic country in the world as of 2023.<ref name="vdem_dataset">{{cite web |last=V-Dem Institute |date=2023 |title=The V-Dem Dataset |url=https://www.v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/ |access-date=14 October 2023 |archive-date=8 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208183458/https://www.v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 1 October 2024, Japan’s parliament confirmed [[Shigeru Ishiba]], new leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), as the new prime minister to replace Fumio Kishida.<ref name=":0">{{cite news |last=Gaunder |first=Alicia |title=Japanese Politics and Government |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781315228594/japanese-politics-government-alisa-gaunder |work= |pages=21-30 |language=en}}</ref>