Japan's Kishida Cabinet Faces First Test...Two By-Elections for House of Councillors Voting on 24th

▲Fumio Kishida, Prime Minister of Japan [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The first parliamentary election since the inauguration of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's cabinet will be held on the 24th. This by-election to elect two members of the House of Councillors (the upper house of the National Diet) is attracting attention as a barometer for the House of Representatives election (general election) scheduled just one week later on the 31st.

According to Kyodo News on the 7th, the by-elections for the Shizuoka and Yamaguchi constituencies of the House of Councillors were announced on the same day, with voting and counting to take place on the 24th.

In Shizuoka, the candidates registered are Yohei Wakabayashi (49), former mayor of Gotemba, affiliated with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and supported by the Komeito Party; Shinnosuke Yamazaki (40), an independent recommended by two opposition parties, the Constitutional Democratic Party and the Democratic Party for the People, and former Shizuoka prefectural assembly member; and Chika Suzuki (50) from the Communist Party.

In Yamaguchi, the candidates registered are Tsuneo Kitamura (66), former LDP proportional representation House of Councillors member and former Parliamentary Vice-Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry; and Kiyo Kawai (61), affiliated with the Communist Party and supported by the Social Democratic Party, and former Yamaguchi prefectural assembly member.

Ryu Hezuma (30), an internet commentator affiliated with the "Party Prosecuted by NHK for Violating Article 72 of the Attorney Act," is also expected to run.

LDP candidate Kitamura automatically lost his proportional representation House of Councillors seat upon registering as a candidate on the same day.

Considering the importance of this House of Councillors by-election ahead of the general election, which will be announced on the 19th and held on the 31st, the leadership of both ruling and opposition parties will fiercely compete in campaign support for their candidates.

Prime Minister Kishida, president of the LDP, plans to visit Shizuoka Prefecture in person on the day to deliver a support speech for the LDP candidate in front of Shizuoka Station to lead the two by-elections to victory.

Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, is also expected to participate in the candidate send-off rally held in front of Shizuoka Station on the same day to appeal for support.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.