Komeito quits LDP coalition, imperiling Takaichi bid

Japan's junior coalition partner Komeito announced on Friday that it will leave its 26-year alliance with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, throwing the LDP's hold on power into uncertainty and imperiling the bid by new party leader Sanae Takaichi to become prime minister. The split followed failed talks this week between Takaichi and Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito and comes as parliament prepares for an extraordinary Diet session that has been delayed until October 20 or later.

Komeito cited what Saito described as an "inadequate" explanation from the LDP about its handling of a political funding scandal and said the LDP had refused to accept Komeito's proposal for tighter restrictions on corporate political donations. The proposal, drafted jointly with another party in March, would have limited corporate donations to party headquarters and prefectural chapters, banned donations to political groups run by individual lawmakers, and capped donations to a single party at 20 million yen annually.

Saito informed Takaichi at a meeting on Friday that Komeito would end the coalition and would not back her in the upcoming parliamentary vote to select a prime minister, party officials...