When Komeito left the ruling coalition, the Liberal Democratic Party was afraid it would lose its former partner’s backing in future parliamentary elections and that many of their candidates would suffer at the ballot box. But if the LDP and its new ruling coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), get their way, there will be fewer candidates to choose from at election time — for all parties. To become prime minister, LDP head Sanae Takaichi struck a deal with the JIP, also known as