TOKYO — The official campaign for Japan’s parliamentary election, scheduled for October 27, kicked off on Tuesday with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba aiming to secure public backing for his agenda and reforms following a political scandal involving the ruling party’s finances.
Over 1,300 candidates are anticipated to participate in the contest for the 465 seats in the Lower House, with registration set to close later in the day.
Ishiba called for this snap election shortly after assuming the role of prime minister on October 1. In line with tradition among leaders of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in recent years, he began his campaign in Fukushima, reaffirming his commitment to the recovery of the region impacted by the 2011 nuclear disaster.
The early election aims to solidify Ishiba’s position by securing a majority in the Lower House, which holds more influence compared to Japan’s other parliamentary chamber, before the initial enthusiasm wears off.
This electoral strategy has faced criticism for seemingly prioritizing the election itself over substantive policy discussions, resulting in limited opportunities for debate.
To achieve a controlling majority, Ishiba’s LDP alongside its junior coalition partner, Komeito, would require at least 233 seats. The coalition held 288 seats before the dissolution of the Lower House, with the LDP accounting for 256 of those.
The main opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ), which had a brief stint in power from 2009 to 2012, is attempting to leverage the public’s dissatisfaction with the LDP’s financial issues in hopes of drawing support from undecided conservative voters. With a new centrist leader, former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, the party is shifting to adopt more conservative positions.
“A leadership change is the biggest political reform,” Noda stated.
Experts observe that the opposition remains too fragmented to effectively challenge the LDP, which has maintained a strong hold on power in Japan since World War II.
Despite a decline in approval ratings for Ishiba’s administration, dropping from over 50% to 42% in a Kyodo News survey shortly after he took office, the LDP continues to be the preferred party among voters.
