Voting Underway In Japan For Upper House Race, With Focus On Majority

TOKYO, July 20 (Bernama-Kyodo) -- Voting got underway on Sunday in Japan's House of Councillors election, with all eyes on whether the ruling coalition can maintain its majority amid public frustration over rising prices and growing support for emerging parties, Kyodo News Agency reported.

The outcome of the election will have a strong bearing on the fate of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's minority government, as failure to retain control of the upper house would make parliamentary deliberations even more difficult and could potentially cost him the premiership.

With 125 seats up for grabs, the ruling bloc led by Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party needs to win at least 50 to keep its majority in the 248-member upper house. It currently holds 75 seats in the other half of the chamber that is not being contested on Sunday.

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Upper house members serve fixed six-year terms, unlike those in the House of Representatives, which the prime minister can dissolve. Half of the upper house members are replaced in elections held every three years to prevent a complete turnover.

Of the 125 seats, including one to fill a vacancy, 75 will be chosen in electoral districts and 50 through proportional representation. Around 520 candidates are vying for the seats.

Voters cast two ballots -- one to select a candidate for their electoral district and the other for proportional representation, under which seats are allocated based on the total number of votes received by each group and its listed candidates.

Pre-election media polls have painted a bleak picture for the ruling coalition of the LDP and the Komeito party, with smaller opposition forces expected to gain strength. During the campaign period, debate intensified over a possible cut in consumption tax and policies concerning foreigners.

Ishiba spent the 17-day campaign scrambling to secure a vote of confidence in his administration, as Japan faces a myriad of challenges -- from the rising cost of living to defending national interests in tariff negotiations with the United States, a longtime ally.

The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, the largest opposition force, aims to strip the ruling camp of its majority control of the upper house and inject momentum into its push for a change of government.

Opposition parties, such as the Democratic Party for the People and the Japan Innovation Party, are united in their call to reduce or abolish the politically sensitive consumption tax to support inflation-plagued households.

The populist Sanseito party, which has been using social media to attract younger voters, is seen as a potential game-changer in the election, as media polls suggest the minor group, known for its nationalistic platform, has seen a surge in popularity.

Its "Japanese First" slogan has apparently struck a chord with conservatives, though its hardline stance on foreigners has drawn criticism as being xenophobic.

-- BERNAMA-KYODO