Embarking of Election Politics

The Cabinet led by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a decision about the date of election of House of Councillors on Thursday. The government will officially announce the execution of the election on June 22^nd and voting day will be July 10^th. Abe did not choose an option of having double election with House of Representatives. The leading coalition, Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito, raised a victory line at keeping simple majority in the House, while the opposite parties cooperate with each other to disturb Abe administration to get two-third majority.

House of Councillors has 242 seats, which consists of 146 seats from electoral districts all over Japan and 96 seats for proportional representatives of parties. A half of all seats, 121, will be empty and fulfilled by the election this summer. Keeping 76 seats with no replacement in the election, LDP-Komeito coalition can maintain simple majority by winning 46 seats in the election. If LDP can get 57 in the election, it will achieve simple majority on its own for the first time in these 27 years.

The opposite parties are highly afraid of LDP’s further advance. Democratic Party, Japan Communist Party, Social Democratic Party and People’s Life Party agreed on supporting their integrated candidate in each of 32 districts that has one seat to elect. Although JCP has been raising its own candidate in every district, it decided to support other candidates to defeat LDP and Komeito. The opposite framework expects taking simple majority, which requires 77 seats to be won.

Abe asked the nation that he wanted endorsement on his economic policy called Abenomics. “Nine years ago when I was in the first term as Prime Minister, I was defeated in the election of House of Councillors and stepped down. That defeat was engraved in my heart. Important policy requires national understanding. That was the lesson at that time. I need support to accelerate escaping from deflation,” Abe told in his press conference.

Security legislature is another major issue for election campaign. The opposite parties accuse Abe administration of the unconstitutionality of the legislation. They were integrated on abolition of new security legislature. LDP and Komeito insist on the necessity of it.

While Constitution of Japan determines that House of Representatives has superiority in some important themes. However, former Prime Ministers could not promote a number of important policies, when they did not have majority in House of Councillors. Abe knows it very well. That is why he is careful in explaining how he realizes the significance of the election. While the leading coalition does not have enough power to get two-third majority, the opposite parties are not likely to overturn the majority. Simple victory will not mean fundamental endorsement of Abenomics.