Travel Distance of Party Leaders Equivalent to 1.8 Times Around the Earth: PM Travels Furthest at 12,480 Kilometers

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:45 JST, February 8, 2026

Leaders of the 11 ruling and opposition parties traveled around Japan during the campaign period for Sunday’s House of Representatives election to seek support from voters. The total distance traveled by them during the 12-day election campaign period was 74,544 kilometers, equivalent to 1.8 times the approximately 40,000-kilometer circumference of the Earth, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun tally.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, also the president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, traveled the longest distance of approximately 12,480 kilometers. She visited closely-contested election districts in 23 prefectures, including Hokkaido and Kagoshima Prefecture, while doing her official duties. She did not visit Osaka, the stronghold of the LDP’s coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party.

Yoshihiko Noda, coleader of the Centrist Reform Alliance, traveled about 5,715 kilometers. He made a street speech with party coleader Tetsuo Saito and called for support. In the final stage of the campaign, Noda focused on campaigning in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

JIP leader and former Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura traveled mainly around the Kinki region with a focus on Osaka Prefecture. In the final stage of the campaign, he sought to gain further support in closely contest districts in the prefecture, traveling approximately 3,071 kilometers in total.

Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki adopted a strategy of traveling around the country while focusing on making street speeches at major train stations in urban areas, apparently aiming to expand support among office workers and swing voters.

Sohei Kamiya, leader of Sanseito that fielded 182 candidates in single-seat constituencies, made campaign speeches for his party’s candidates in various parts of the country.

Japanese Communist Party leader Tomoko Tamura traveled throughout the country from Hokkaido to Okinawa Prefecture. Reiwa Shinsengumi leader Taro Yamamoto, who had taken a break from political activities due to a medical condition, began taking to the streets in urban areas on Feb. 5, the final stage of the campaign period.

Genzei Yukoku party coleader Kazuhiro Haraguchi focused on campaigning in his home ground of Saga Prefecture. Naoki Hyakuta, leader of the Conservative Party of Japan, was active mainly in Tokyo and other large cities. Social Democratic Party leader Mizuho Fukushima made multiple trips to Okinawa and the Kyushu region. Team Mirai party leader Takahiro Anno called for support mainly at major train stations in Tokyo.

The distance was calculated by connecting their campaign speech sites with straight lines based on interviews with each party. Official duties and inspection tours were excluded.