Japanese political parties rush to run for last-minute election

Japanese political parties made their final efforts on July 20 to seek voters' support on the final day of campaigning before the official Upper House election on July 21.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) spent a day talking up the benefits of his economic policy, Abenomics.

“The policy he is implementing is on the right track. In fact, we are on the cusp of economic recovery,” Abe said in Yamagata Prefecture.

A candidate of the opposition Japan Restoration Party campaigns in front of Omotesando Station, Shibuya Ward, Tokyo. (Photo: Huu Thang/Vietnam+)

The Upper House election on July 21 is the first nationwide election since Mr. Abe took office in December 2012. The election is also a test of his government's governance style in recent times.

With support for Mr. Abe and the LDP at a fairly high level, the prime minister advocates thoroughly resolving “a divided parliament” in order to gain control of the Upper House with his coalition partner, the New Komeito Party.

Opposition parties have criticized Abe’s economic policies and expressed concern about the LDP’s dominance. Speaking to a crowd in Hiroshima, Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) President Banri Kaieda said people’s lives depended on the election. He said “politics cannot be left in Abe’s hands.”

Meanwhile, co-leader of the Japan Restoration Party Toru Hashimoto warned against the LDP's dominance and stressed the importance of a new opposition party to act as a check on the ruling party.

A total of 433 candidates have filed for the 121 Senate seats up for election this time. As usual, half of the 242 seats in this legislative body are up for election every three years.

Of the 121 seats up for grabs this time, 73 will be up for grabs by candidates from constituencies in 47 provinces while the remaining 48 will be chosen through a nationwide party-based proportional representation system.

A recent public opinion survey conducted by Kyodo news agency showed that the ruling coalition led by the LDP is expected to win a safe majority in the Upper House, securing at least 129 seats, including 59 seats that will not have to be re-elected this time.

Such an outcome would also give the ruling coalition control of all standing committees as well as the Senate, facilitating the passage of bills given its control of the powerful House of Representatives.

In the two-week campaign period starting on July 4, the parties have also focused on whether to restart nuclear power plants that have been idled since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear crisis, along with a consumption tax hike from April 2014, and Mr. Abe’s decision to join talks on the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement.

According to plan, polling stations nationwide will officially open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. on July 21./.

According to (Vietnam+) - DT