Campaigning begins in Japan for the October 27 general election

TOKYO (Kyodo) — Official campaigning began Tuesday across Japan for the Oct. 27 general election as Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba seeks a new term and restores public confidence in politics undermined by the scandal fund that swallowed his party in government.

More than 1,300 candidates are expected to compete for a total of 465 seats in the House of Representatives in the first contest since 2021 after it was dissolved last week, just eight days after Ishiba took office.

The Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito aim to retain a combined majority in the lower house, or at least 233 seats, a relatively low hurdle given the coalition’s 288 seats before the race.

Japan’s main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party hopes to stage a rare change of government in a country that has seen uninterrupted LDP rule for most of the post-war period. Its leader Yoshihiko Noda has criticized Ishiba for using the election to divert public attention from the currency scandal.

Ishiba has faced criticism from opposition leaders who say the 67-year-old prime minister has broken his promise to allow enough time for parliamentary debate in the recently held special session without rushing into the elections The opposition had waited for time to grill the LDP over the scandal.

His perceived backsliding on his push to create a NATO-like alliance in Asia and other policy goals he set out during the ruling party’s presidential run has also come under intense scrutiny, although he has denied that he has made a face change.

Restoring trust is a priority for the LDP following revelations that party members had failed to properly report fundraising income.

Although the LDP withdrew its official endorsements from those involved in the scandal, opposition lawmakers are critical of the ruling party’s handling of the issue.

The scandal, which ultimately cost Ishiba’s predecessor Fumio Kishida his prime ministership, remains a key factor for voters, with more than 65 percent of respondents in a recent Kyodo News poll saying they would take that into account when they vote. Still, the LDP appears to be the best choice for voters, according to the poll.

The rising cost of living is another key issue, with the government and opposition parties stressing the need to support households.

In elections, each voter casts two ballots, one to elect a candidate in a single-seat constituency and the other to select a party for proportional representation. Japan has 289 single-member constituencies and 11 proportional representation blocs.

A tally by Kyodo News also shows a record number of women competing in the race.