Japan’s Party Leaders Already Appealing For Public Support; Official Lower House Campaign To Kick Off Tuesday

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:46 JST, October 10, 2024

The ruling and opposition parties on Thursday, a day after the dissolution of the House of Representatives, began to make full-scale preparations for the upcoming lower house election, with the official campaign period set to begin on Tuesday and voting and ballot counting on Oct. 27.

With political reform and other issues in the spotlight in the wake of violations of the Political Funds Control Law by factions of the Liberal Democratic Party, the battle is already heating up between the LDP-Komeito ruling coalition and the opposition parties that aim to replace it.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who is also the LDP president, arrived in Laos on Thursday morning to make his diplomatic debut at a summit related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Although it is unusual for a prime minister to make an overseas visit after the dissolution of the lower house, Ishiba apparently hopes to use the opportunity to demonstrate his ability to lead the government. He is scheduled to return to Japan on Saturday. After the official campaigning begins, he plans to tour the country to canvass for support for the party.

The LDP was to announce its campaign pledges for the lower house election Thursday afternoon, which were to emphasize its commitment to political and party reform.

Komeito leader Keiichi Ishii took to the streets on Thursday morning. “Restoring trust in politics is the most important thing,” Ishii said in a speech in front of JR Akihabara Station in Tokyo. “Only Komeito can do that.”

The opposition parties are also stepping up their activities to expand their support. Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, gave a street speech in Tokyo on the day, criticizing the LDP’s politics and money scandal. Noda appealed for a change of government, saying, “Changing money politics and hereditary politics is the first step to changing politics.”

“Please let us achieve drastic political reform,” he added.

Fumitake Fujita, secretary general of the Japan Innovation Party, held a press conference in the Diet building on Thursday morning. “We want to work hard to have people see our political stance and policy arguments, so that we can expand support for Ishin [the JIP] outside the Kinki region as much as possible,” he said. He announced that the JIP will endorse former members of a party that called for free education, including Seiji Maehara. Maehara, who has left the party, has been seeking to join the JIP.

The Japanese Communist Party was to announce its campaign pledges on Thursday afternoon. Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, was to give street speeches at nine locations in Tokyo.

Meanwhile, campaigning for the House of Councillors by-election for the Iwate constituency officially began on Thursday. The by-election will be held due to the resignation of former upper house member Megumi Hirose. Hirose has also left the LDP. The voting will take place on Oct. 27, the same day as the House of Representatives election.Masamine Kawaguchi / Yomiuri ShimbunPrime Minister Shigeru Ishiba arrives in Laos on Thursday to attend a summit related to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.The Yomiuri ShimbunConstitutional Democratic Party of Japan leader Yoshihiko Noda hands out fliers on the street in Arakawa Ward, Tokyo, on Thursday.