On Tuesday, four opposition parties jointly submitted a no-confidence motion against the Cabinet in what has essentially become an annual tradition in the Japanese Diet.
Had the motion passed, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga would have been obliged to dissolve the Lower House and call a general election. But it did not pass; instead, the opposition parties lost by a landslide margin of 134 votes to 322.
This outcome was a foregone conclusion and the opposition’s annual exercise in futility may leave many outside observers scratching their heads. Why would the opposition submit a no-confidence motion knowing full well it would get voted down? Also, why did Liberal Democratic Party Secretary General Toshihiro Nikai threaten a snap election despite knowing his party could easily handle the no-confidence vote?