Komeito party leaves the longstanding ruling coalition in Japan

Tetsuo Saito cited corruption concerns (Kyodo via AP)

The head of Japan’s Komeito has said the party is leaving the ruling coalition headed by the Liberal Democratic Party due to concerns over corruption.

The decision announced by Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito deals a serious blow to the Liberal Democrats, who last weekend chose ultra-conservative Sanae Takaichi as their leader.

Ms Takaichi could still become Japan’s first female prime minister, but the departure of the Buddhist-backed Komeito will compel the Liberal Democrats to find at least one other coalition partner in order to stay in power.

The ruling coalition had already lost its majorities in both houses of parliament. The lower house is due to vote on a new prime minister later this month.

Mr Saito said his party, which has been a coalition partner with the Liberal Democrats for 26 years, had raised several concerns in a meeting with its leaders.

Sanae Takaichi could yet become Japan’s first female prime minister (Pool via AP)

They include objections to Ms Takaichi’s stance on Japan’s wartime history and her visits to Yasukuni Shrine, seen as a symbol of its past militarism.

Another issue was Ms Takaichi’s hardline position toward foreigners, part of a backlash against growing numbers of foreign workers and tourists.

But the deciding factor, he said, was the Liberal Democrats’ response to scandals over the use of political slush funds.

Mr Saito said he found Ms Takaichi’s response to his concerns over history, the Yasukuni visits and foreigners to be acceptable. But he said she showed a lack of “sincerity” about doing more to clean up corruption.

“The LDP’s response was that it will think about it, which was highly insufficient and extremely disappointing,” Mr Saito said.

The LDP has been beset by scandals involving dozens of lawmakers, many of them belonging to a party faction previously led by the late prime minister Shinzo Abe. His vision for Japan is one that Ms Takaichi has emulated.

The Liberal Democrats have removed some senior lawmakers from top party and Cabinet posts. Ms Takaichi has said, assuming she is chosen to be prime minister, that she plans to put them in key positions after they were re-elected twice after their removals.