TOKYO, Apr 6 (NNN-NHK) – Campaign for an upper house by-election, for a seat representing Japan’s south-western prefecture of Oita started today, with key issues, including child-rearing support, and measures to tackle the country’s soaring prices.
The start of the Oita race will be followed by the kickoff of campaigning next Tuesday, for four by-elections for the House of Representatives, Japan’s lower house of parliament.
The five by-elections will be held on Apr 23, along with the second round of local polls to select mayors and assembly members across Japan.
The electoral tests are closely watched as an interim evaluation for the government of Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, as he faces a declining approval rating.
The results of the elections are likely to affect Kishida’s decision on whether to dissolve the lower house for a snap election, pundits said, noting that, his Liberal Democratic Party is eager to secure at least three of the five seats, the number previously held by the ruling party.
The upper house by-election in Oita is filling the vacancy left by independent Kiyoshi Adachi, who won the seat with support of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and other opposition forces but chose to run for the governorship in the prefecture.– NNN-NHK
