Japan Lower House Election’s Official Campaign Period Begins on Tuesday, with At Least 1,200 Candidates Expected

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:22 JST, January 26, 2026

The 12-day official campaign period for the Feb. 8 House of Representatives election will kick off on Tuesday.

For voters, the upcoming election will likely center on whether they approve of the new coalition government framework between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party, as well as each party’s economic policies, including their responses to rising prices. The focus will also be on whether the LDP-JIP coalition can secure a majority of at least 233 seats.

Over 1,200 people were planning to vie for the 465 House of Representatives seats, as of Sunday, according to a tally by The Yomiuri Shimbun. There are 289 single-seat constituencies, with the remaining 176 seats being determined through the proportional representation system. In the previous lower house election held in October 2024, 1,344 candidates ran.

Party leaders appeared on a Fuji TV program on Sunday.

“We are seeking [the public’s] judgment on the new governing framework and policies,” said Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who also serves as LDP president. Fumitake Fujita, coleader of the JIP said, “We are boldly asking [voters] about a major policy shift.”

Centrist Reform Alliance coleader Yoshihiko Noda said, “We will advocate for the principle of putting ‘people first.’” Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki, said, “We will implement policies that deliver immediate results on increasing take-home pay.”

The 16-day interval between the lower house dissolution and ballot counting will be the shortest in the postwar era.