315 People Gearing Up to Run in Japan Upper House Race

   Tokyo, April 30 (Jiji Press)--A total of 315 people as of Wednesday are preparing to run in this summer's election for Japan's House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament, according to a survey by Jiji Press.
   The focus will be on whether Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's ruling coalition will secure an Upper House majority of 125 seats, including seats that are not up for grabs in the upcoming race.
   While the Liberal Democratic Party, the dominant partner in the ruing bloc, has already picked up candidates in 32 so-called single-seat constituencies, where one seat is up for grabs each, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and other opposition parties have made little progress on coordinating their candidates.
   Unless the current parliamentary session is extended, the Upper House election is likely to be held on July 20.
   Of the 248 seats in the Upper House, half are contested every three years. This time, political parties will vie for 125 seats, including a seat that is currently vacant.

(2025/04/30-19:47)