Oct 16 (NHK) - Campaigning in Japan's Lower House election has officially kicked off. Registration is now closed, with over 1,000 candidates in the running.
The ruling coalition is looking to maintain its majority, but the opposition parties are hoping to prevent it.
Liberal Democratic Party President and Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru said: "We face this election with a sense of deep reflection. We must never again allow lapses like failing to declare revenue from fundraising parties. This election is for Japan's revitalization. We will create Japan anew. We want to present our new economic policies both at special and extraordinary Diet sessions. The supplementary budget for last year was 37 trillion yen in total. We are going to submit a bigger supplementary budget and pass it after Diet deliberations. We place faith in the public, and we will speak the truth and discuss how the nation should go forward. There are no other parties than the coalition government of the LDP and Komeito that can lead Japan."
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan President Noda Yoshihiko said: "This is a dissolution to hide slush funds and the issue should not be hidden. People should understand that slush funds are a major point of contention, and they should express their anger. The Lower House has been rushed to dissolution. And once the election is over, the Liberal Democratic Party will say that the slate has been wiped clean. It will once again claim additional backing for those who were not officially endorsed during the election and put them back in responsible positions. Let's break away from the politics of the LDP, which supports lawmakers who were involved in backroom deals."
Japan Innovation Party Representative Baba Nobuyuki said: "The Liberal Democratic Party lacks the ability to fix itself. To regain the public's trust, we have to be more clean and transparent about money in politics, through self-discipline and painful self-reform. Once this election is over and the next Diet session begins, we will thoroughly address this issue."
Komeito Chief Representative Ishii Keiichi said: "We need to keep raising wages to exceed rising prices. Which political party or coalition can respond to the issues facing our country, both at home and abroad, and is ready to implement those policies? Komeito is the only party that can engage in politics that truly serve ordinary citizens and the public."
Japanese Communist Party Chairperson Tamura Tomoko said: "We won't let the fundraising scandal fade away. Our party will continue to call for a thorough investigation. We also aim to ban all donations from companies and organizations. With the abolition of the consumption tax in mind, we want to immediately lower it to 5 percent. We also think the invoice system should be eliminated without question. Together, let's pave a way for a new politics that will lead us to a hopeful future."
Democratic Party for the People President Tamaki Yuichiro said: "Will you choose politicians trying to make the people rich or choose politicians trying to make?themselves rich? We will resolve the issue of slush funds. And we will promote policies to increase your net income by lowering social insurance premiums."
Reiwa Shinsengumi co-leader Kushibuchi Mari said: "The Liberal Democratic Party, Komeito and the defunct Democratic Party are all responsible for having mismanaged the economy. Our party will firmly push to help people's daily lives through three initiatives: reducing the consumption tax, offering seasonal cash handouts and lowering social insurance premiums."
Social Democratic Party President Fukushima Mizuho said: "This election is a historic race that will end the politics of the LDP. Peace and making a living are the most important things. Tax money should go towards improving people's livelihoods. We want to appeal to the public on these issues."
Sanseito President Kamiya Sohei said: "A big issue in this election is how Japan will survive the turbulent international situation. We need to stop the recklessness of the administration and we must stop the country's 30-year slump now."
All 465 Lower House seats are up for grabs. 289 will be decided in single-seat districts and 176 through a proportional representation system.
A majority is 233 seats. Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru says if the governing coalition can secure a majority, he would consider it a victory. The coalition held 290 seats when he dissolved the chamber last week.
NHK has found that 1,113 candidates are running in the single-seat districts.
Meanwhile, 231 candidates are in the running only under the proportional representation system.
The official campaign runs for 12 days. It will end the day before voters head to the polls on October 27.
