2024 POLLS: Ruling, Opposition Parties Focused on Close Races

Tokyo, Oct. 22 (Jiji Press)--With less than a week to go until Sunday's election for Japan's House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of parliament, ruling and opposition parties are working to shore up support in constituencies where the results are expected to be close.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party is on defense especially in urban areas due to a slush funds scandal involving the party, leading to some executives mentioning the possibility of expanding its coalition to maintain its grip on power.

The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is poised to step up criticism of the ruling coalition.

"We fight with the greatest sense of crisis," Prime Minister and LDP President Shigeru Ishiba said in a stump speech in the western Japan city of Osaka on Monday, seeking to rally support so that the LDP and its coalition partner, Komeito, can secure a Lower House majority combined. "What will happen to Japan if the LDP and Komeito lose their majority?"

The LDP plans to intensively deploy popular orators to close races in the final stage of the campaigning. With many such constituencies scattered across the country, however, one senior party official said that it was "necessary to give up constituencies with no possibility" of winning.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]