International

The ruling coalition in Japan loses its majority for the first time since 2009

The ruling coalition of Japan formed by the Liberal Democratic Party (PLD) of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and the Buddhist force Komeito has lost its parliamentary majority in the general elections, as confirmed by the election results on Monday.

These two forces suffered a resounding defeat by obtaining as a whole of 215 seats in the elections held the day before, below the majority of the 233 that mark the majority in the Lower House of the Diet (Parliament) of Japan.

The conservative PLD of Ishiba took 191 seats, a sharp drop compared to the 256 it had from the previous 2021 elections, while Komeito won 24.8 less, according to the count of results collected today by the state chain NHK and in the absence of the final official figures being announced.

PDC, the big winner of the elections in Japan

The great winner of the elections has been the progressive Constitutional Democratic Party (PDC) of Yoshihiko Noda, the main force of the opposition, which has increased its parliamentary representation from 98 seats to 148.

This is the first time since 2009 that the PLD loses in elections the majority sufficient to govern, either alone or with its traditional coalition partner.

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These results open a period of great political uncertainty for Japan. Both the Ishiba PLD and the Noda PDC have expressed their willingness to seek possible alliances that allow them to govern, although for now they have ruled out any option of doing it together.

Electoral punishment for the government party

The electoral punishment that the PLD has fit is attributed above all to the succession of scandals in which it has been involved in recent years, the most recent of them a series of cases of irregular financing of its parliamentarians that led to the resignation last month of the previous prime minister, Fumio Kishida.

Ishiba won his party’s primaries and campaigned for these generals with the slogan of “respecting the rules” and promoting the principles of honesty and transparency, but this message does not seem to have convinced voters.

The PLD “has not been able to gain the trust” of citizens and “has been tried severely,” said the current prime minister the day before when he learned of the projections that drew a gloomy panorama for its formation.

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International

Ten Bodies Found in Mexico’s Zacatecas State Amid Security Operation

Mexican authorities discovered the bodies of 10 people on Saturday in the central state of Zacatecas, a region that was heavily affected by organized crime violence just a few years ago.

The victims were found in different municipalities across the state, which experienced a surge in violence between 2021 and 2022 as rival criminal groups fought for control of key drug trafficking routes.

Rodrigo Reyes, secretary general of the Zacatecas state government, said on social media that the bodies were located in the municipalities of Morelos, Pánuco, and Sain Alto.

Authorities have not yet disclosed the causes of death or identified those responsible for the killings.

Reyes said security forces have launched a coordinated operation to locate those behind the crimes and strengthen the police presence in the affected areas as the investigation continues.

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International

U.S. to Limit Visa Duration for Foreign Students and Journalists

The United States has announced new limits on the legal length of stay for foreign students and journalists, marking the latest tightening of immigration policies under President Donald Trump.

The changes, outlined in an administrative rule published on Thursday, are expected to take effect in September, unless Congress blocks the measure.

Under the new policy, holders of student visas will be allowed to remain in the United States for no more than four years.

Foreign journalists will be limited to 240-day stays—approximately eight months—with the possibility of applying for extensions of the same duration.

The policy imposes even stricter rules on Chinese journalists, whose visas will be capped at 90 days.

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More than 100 international news organizations and press freedom groups, including Agence France-Presse (AFP), criticized the measure in an open letter, arguing that it would reduce both the quantity and quality of international coverage of events in the United States.

The Republican Party, led by President Trump, currently holds a majority in Congress and has pledged to curb both illegal immigration and certain forms of legal immigration.

Previously, the United States generally issued student visas for the full duration of an academic program, while foreign journalists could receive visas valid for up to five years.

Central America

Nicaragua Cuts Diplomatic Ties With Italy Over Red Brigades Dispute

The Nicaraguan government announced on Thursday that it is severing diplomatic relations with Italy following criticism from the Italian government over Nicaragua’s long-standing decision to shelter Alessio Casimirri, a former member of the Red Brigades convicted in Italy for the 1978 kidnapping and murder of former Prime Minister Aldo Moro.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani criticized the administration of co-presidents Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo on Wednesday for continuing to provide refuge to Casimirri, who was sentenced in Italy to six life terms for his role in Moro’s abduction and killing.

In a statement issued Thursday, Nicaragua’s Foreign Ministry said it was ending all diplomatic relations with Italy, describing Tajani’s remarks as “unjustified, aggressive, and irresponsible.”

Tajani made the comments during a gathering of conservative leaders from Europe and Latin America held in Madrid.

“We have absolutely nothing in common with the positions of extremist governments such as Nicaragua, a country that continues to harbor dangerous Red Brigades terrorists like Alessio Casimirri,” Tajani said, according to Italian media.

The diplomatic break marks a new escalation in tensions between the two countries over the decades-old case involving Casimirri, who has lived in Nicaragua for many years despite repeated calls from Italy for his extradition.