Japanese citizens are voting in a snap election on Sunday, triggered by a turbulent period for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), marked by scandals, declining public trust, and severe economic pressures.
The election was called by Shigeru Ishiba just three days after his selection as LDP leader, preceding his official swearing-in as prime minister.
Despite record-low approval ratings, with the LDP’s support falling below 20% earlier in the year due to a political fundraising scandal, the opposition remains fragmented, with its main party polling at only 6.6% before parliament dissolved.
Many voters, like Miyuki Fujisaki, a care-home worker, feel disillusioned by the lack of strong alternatives. “The LDP has its issues with corruption,” she said, “but the opposition also does not stand out at all.”
The recent months have seen fast-paced political changes. Ishiba, a seasoned politician and former defence minister, took over from Fumio Kishida after Kishida unexpectedly stepped down in August.
Ishiba described the election as a “people’s verdict,” as the LDP attempts to rebuild its image amidst a wave of high-profile scandals, particularly concerning the controversial Unification Church and a corruption investigation implicating several LDP lawmakers.
For voters like Michiko Hamada, the scandals hit particularly hard at a time of rising living costs and stagnating wages. “What a wretched state the ruling party is in,” she said at an opposition rally near Tokyo, criticising the LDP for tax evasion amid Japan’s worsening economic struggles. Many citizens are grappling with record-high prices for essentials, with pensioner Chie Shimizu, for instance, working part-time to cope. “Our hourly wage has gone up a bit, but it does not match the prices,” she told the BBC.
Some voters, despite long-standing disinterest in politics, are reconsidering their stance. Shimizu noted she may vote, though undecided, saying, “I can’t find anyone I want to vote for. I feel like there’s no one I can trust.”
The LDP’s coalition previously held 247 of 465 seats in the Diet, alongside 32 seats from its partner, Komeito. However, questions loom over whether Komeito can meet this threshold again, while opposition parties reportedly gained momentum leading up to the vote.
Temple University Japan’s Professor Jeff Kingston believes the LDP could face a setback. “They are worried they’re going to lose some marginal seats,” he explained. For voters like Fujisaki, it’s critical that the LDP makes genuine changes if re-elected. “I want them to show us what they are going to do so this doesn’t happen again,” she said.
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