(Update) Japan Parties Gear Up for Election in 1st Weekend since Dissolution

(The third paragraph should have read, “…Japan Innovation Party…,” and the final paragraph should have read, “…Shinsengumi,” instead of as sent. A substitute story follows.) (Update) Japan Parties Gear Up for Election in 1st Weekend since Dissolution Tokyo, Jan. 24 (Jiji Press)–Japanese political parties began gearing up in earnest for the upcoming House of Representatives election on Saturday, the first weekend since Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved the lower chamber of the Diet, the country’s parliament, the day before. Takayuki Kobayashi, policy chief of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said at a press conference in the city of Chiba, east of Tokyo, that the ruling bloc will “create a strong economy by decisively carrying out responsible and proactive fiscal policy” advocated by the prime minister. Noting that the Japan Innovation Party has joined the ruling bloc after the LDP’s previous partner Komeito left the coalition, Kobayashi said that the Feb. 8 Lower House poll will be “an election to ask the public whether Takaichi or another person should lead state management under a new framework.” Tetsuo Saito, co-chief of the newly formed Centrist Reform Alliance and former head of Komeito, told a press conference in the city of Hiroshima in western Japan that his party will seek to permanently reduce the consumption tax on food to zero while considering ways to finance the measure. He mentioned that the centrists’ policy pledges feature the establishment of a new state-run fund as a source of funding for the consumption tax cut, saying, “The focus (of election debates) will be on funding.” Delivering a street speech in Tokyo, JIP co-leader Fumitake Fujita said: “If it’s only the LDP (that leads the government), there are constraints and politics moves at a snail’s pace. Our party is the engine that drives it forward.” Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the opposition Democratic Party for the People, highlighted his party’s achievements in a speech in Hiroshima, saying, “The combination of a minority ruling party and a constructive opposition party has pushed politics forward.” Taku Yamazoe, policy chief of the Japanese Communist Party, criticized the government at a campaign meeting in Sendai in the northeastern Japan prefecture of Miyagi, stating, “The administration is at an impasse on the economy and Japan-China relations, and shows no reflection on the issue of money and politics.” Sohei Kamiya, head of opposition Sanseito, said in a speech in Yokohama, south of Tokyo: “The policies the people expect from the prime minister align with Sanseito’s platform. If Sanseito wins, these policies will move forward.” Reiwa Shinsengumi, the Conservative Party of Japan, the Social Democratic Party and Team Mirai also each called for voters’ support. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]