2026 POLLS: Momentum for Political Reform Stalling in Japan

Tokyo, Feb. 6 (Jiji Press)–Momentum for political reform in Japan is faltering, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi sidesteps the topic in her campaigning for Sunday’s House of Representatives election, which will decide control of the powerful lower chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament. In her stump speeches, Takaichi, who leads the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, rarely mentions the party’s high-profile slush funds scandal or proposed restrictions on political donations by corporations and groups. Opposition parties’ criticism that the ruling bloc has failed to settle the issues is falling on deaf ears. The LDP gave its endorsement to 44 candidates linked to the funds scandal, saying that they have already suffered by their involvement. In its policy pledges, the party vowed to further promote transparency and openness on donations by corporations and groups, on the basis that disclosure is better than banning donations. The party’s junior coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, calls for a blanket ban on political donations by corporations, groups and unions. But the party does not press the LDP on the matter as it is prioritizing its proposal to establish a secondary capital. The Centrist Reform Alliance, formed only last month by the major opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito, the LDP’s previous coalition partner, has taken a confrontational stance toward the ruling bloc on the issue of politics and money. “The LDP is trying to revive (scandal-mired politicians) without any remorse,” said Yoshihiko Noda, former prime minister and co-leader of the new party. The new party has proposed setting restrictions on the amount of group donations and their recipients as the first step toward fully banning such donations. Elsewhere in the opposition camp, the Democratic Party for the People is also advocating for group donation caps and limits on recipients. The Japanese Communist Party, Reiwa Shinsengumi and the Social Democratic Party are seeking an outright ban on group donations. The Tax Cuts Japan & Patriotic Alliance has called for a crackdown on the abuse of taxpayer money. The Conservative Party of Japan is campaigning to ban people from inheriting family members’ political funds management bodies, while Team Mirai is vowing to boost the transparency of political funds by digitalizing records. Discussions on Lower House electoral system reform, including a 10 pct seat reduction proposed by the ruling bloc, are also languishing. A Lower House panel had planned to start talks last month on compiling concrete measures by this spring, but this was postponed due to Takaichi’s surprise decision to call the snap poll. With parties holding varying positions on the topic, reaching a consensus is likely to be difficult. The ruling coalition has pledged to pass a bill on reducing the number of Lower House seats in the next parliamentary session. The LDP said that the Lower House panel would discuss electoral system reform and reach a conclusion on the matter. The JIP said it would consider abolishing the current combination of single-seat constituencies and proportional representation in favor of a multiple-seat constituency system. Among opposition groups, the Centrist Reform Alliance has avoided making detailed policy vows, saying that the size of the Lower House should be discussed in conjunction with electoral system reform that accurately reflects the will of the people. The DPFP showed understanding for the ruling bloc’s seat cut plan, and called for considering a block voting system under a multiple-seat constituency system as one option for reform. The JCP is against reducing Lower House seats, while Sanseito has called for lowering the voting age to 16. The Centrist Reform Alliance, the DPFP and the SDP are advocating restrictions on the right of the prime minister to dissolve the Lower House and call a snap election. The ability to dissolve the chamber is currently considered the exclusive authority of the prime minister. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]