Yomiuri Survey: ‘Economy and Employment’ a Priority for Lower House Candidates; ‘Politics and Money’ Also a Key Issue

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:52 JST, October 23, 2024

“Economy and employment” is the highest priority issue for candidates running in the Sunday’s House of Representatives election, followed by “politics and money,” according to a Yomiuri Shimbun survey.

Candidates were allowed to select up to three issues in the survey, which was conducted from Oct. 3 before campaigning officially started. The survey received responses from 1,283, or 95.5%, of the 1,344 candidates.

Of the candidates who responded, 59% said economy and employment would be a priority area for them during the election campaign, with 37% of candidates citing politics and money.

Economy and employment was the most selected issue by the candidates of four of the nine national political parties — the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, junior coalition party Komeito and the Democratic Party for the People. It was among the top three issues for the remaining five parties as well.

Both the ruling and opposition parties appeared to focus on the area as it directly impacted voters’ daily lives.

At 83%, LDP candidates cited economy and employment the most often among the nine parties, and 56% also listed it as the most important issue.

The proportion of LDP candidates who cited politics and money was comparatively low at 15%, with it being among the top three for six parties, including the CDPJ, the Japan Innovation Party and Komeito.

Politics and money was selected by 70% of JIP candidates, and 37% listed it as the most important issue. Among other parties, with 29% of CDPJ, 29% of Komeito and 24% of Japanese Communist Party candidates also selected it at as the most important issue.

Regarding “constitutional revision,” 55% of all candidates “support” or “somewhat support” it.

By party, support was high within the LDP, the JIP, Komeito and the DPFP and Sanseito. Opposition was high within the CDPJ, the JCP, Reiwa Shinsengumi and the Social Democratic Party.

As for concrete items to be amended, with multiple answers allowed, 77% of those who supported constitutional revision cited “adding a provision outlining the basis for the Self-Defense Forces or the possession of armed forces for self-defense.”