The first Diet elections since the Liberal Democratic Party’s political fund scandal came to light kicked off on April 16, and the ruling party is already in a hole.

Political reform was raised as the key issue in campaign speeches for the Lower House by-elections in the Shimane No. 1 district, the Nagasaki No. 3 district and the Tokyo No. 15 district.

The elections in Nagasaki and Tokyo were called to replace LDP lawmakers who resigned because of scandals. But the party could not field its own candidates in these districts, meaning it has already lost two of the three by-elections.

That has put the spotlight on the Shimane No. 1 district, where the LDP has fielded its lone candidate.

An LDP loss in Shimane would further hurt Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s ability to manage his administration and could affect his strategy for the LDP presidential election in autumn.

“The government will listen carefully to the opinions of the people through these elections and make use of them in the future management of the government,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a news conference on April 16.

The LDP’s acting secretary-general, Hiroshi Kajiyama, expressed disappointment that the party was competing in only one of the by-elections.

“As the party in power, perhaps the proper thing to do is to put up candidates for each and every by-election,” he said at a news conference.

Natsuo Yamaguchi, leader of LDP’s junior coalition partner, Komeito, also stressed the significance of these by-elections.

“The focus will be on how politics deals with ‘politics and money,’ especially what stance the LDP will show,” he told reporters.

The ruling coalition parties have started discussions on strengthening the Political Fund Control Law to prevent further reporting irregularities in income and expenses among politicians.

Yamaguchi said the by-elections will reveal “how far the ruling parties’ stance on the revisions will be accepted by the public” and “what the public actually expects” from the parties.

Voting for all three elections will be held on April 28.

SHIMANE NO. 1 DISTRICT

The Shimane No. 1 district by-election was called to fill the seat held by former Lower House Speaker Hiroyuki Hosoda, who died in November.

Kajiyama said about the Shimane election, “We will firmly convey our efforts to restore trust in politics and the Kishida administration’s concrete measures to revive the economy.”

LDP policy chief Kisaburo Tokai stressed the magnitude of the by-election during a meeting of the party’s Policy Research Council.

“It should be considered an election that will determine the fate of the party,” he said.

Tokai urged council members in attendance to “take the time” to support the LDP candidate’s campaign.

“We have to face this battle with all of our strength,” he said.

The by-election is practically a one-on-one race.

The LDP has fielded Norimasa Nishikori, 55, a former head of the Finance Ministry’s Chugoku Local Finance Bureau. Komeito has also endorsed him.

The main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is backing Akiko Kamei, 58, a former Lower House member.

Nishikori said at a rally in front of the Shimane prefectural government’s office on April 16, “I know firsthand that this election is very tough.”

He also said: “The LDP and the Diet have begun to move toward political reform. I want to push this movement firmly from behind.”

Yuko Obuchi, who heads the LDP’s Election Strategy Committee, joined Nishikori and said: “The LDP must change. We must straighten ourselves up and promote political reforms so that the public will trust us.”

Kamei said in a rally in front of JR Matsue Station that change is needed, and that her victory would be “a major blow to the Kishida administration.”

“This is the only election that pits the ruling and opposition parties against each other in the wake of the LDP’s slush fund scandal,” she said. “Voters across the county are angry but unable to vote. Let’s change Japanese politics by bringing down the LDP kingdom.”

TOKYO NO. 15 DISTRICT

In the Tokyo No. 15 district, which covers Koto Ward, at least nine candidates are running for the seat vacated by Mito Kakizawa, 53.

Kakizawa, a former vice minister of justice, resigned and left the LDP after being found guilty in a bribery case related to the Koto Ward mayoral election.

Among the nine is Tsukasa Akimoto, 52, a former Lower House member who was arrested on suspicion of bribery in connection with an integrated resort project that includes a casino.

The Tokyo District Court sentenced him to four years in prison. He appealed, but the Tokyo High Court in late March upheld the decision.

Under the Public Office Election Law and other regulations, Akimoto can run for office as long as his bribery conviction is not finalized. If the Supreme Court finalizes the ruling, he would lose his post even if elected.

Akimoto left the LDP after the scandal and is running in the by-election as an independent.

The Conservative Party of Japan, a new political organization founded last autumn by novelist Naoki Hyakuta, has fielded a candidate for the first time in a Diet election.

The organization opposes immigration, gender equality and the pacifist Constitution, and has gained traction mainly on social media.

Many supporters gathered to hear a speech from the candidate, Akari Iiyama, 48, a visiting professor at Reitaku University, in front of the torii gate of Tomioka Hachimangu shrine in the capital’s Koto Ward.

Hyakuta said in his speech: “It is just a single seat that is decided on April 28, but I believe it is the one that will change Japan. Five or 10 years from now, you will realize that today was the day we took back Japan.”

Another candidate in the district is Hirotada Ototake, 48, a writer who was born with no arms or legs. Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is supporting his campaign.

NAGASAKI NO. 3 DISTRICT

The Nagasaki No. 3 district by-election was called after Yaichi Tanigawa, 82, resigned over the slush fund scandal in the LDP’s Abe faction.

Katsuhiko Yamada, 44, a former Lower House member of the CDP, and Shoichiro Inoue, 40, who is backed by opposition Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party), are running for the seat.

Yamada said in a rally in front of JR Omura Station, “A change of government is necessary to promote true political reform.”

Inoue said in a speech at JR Haiki Station in Sasebo that the Ishin party “will carry out reforms.”

“We must change politics,” he said.

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TO OUR READERS

The eighth paragraph from the end of the article has been modified. It previously read: About 100 supporters gathered to hear a speech from the candidate, Akari Iiyama, 48, a visiting professor at Reitaku University, in front of the torii gate of Tomioka Hachimangu shrine in Koto Ward.