Candidates backed by Kishida's ruling bloc win key gubernatorial polls

What a rigged game Japanese politics is.

Vote LDP candidate A or vote LDP candidate B-some choice that is.

In the meantime, the slow demise of Japan continues unabated…

In the other four prefectures of Kanagawa, Fukui, Tottori and Shimane, incumbent governors were jointly supported by the ruling and opposition camps

Democracy in action.

All eyes are on whether voters will support the government's measures to curtail the adverse effects of rising prices and its plan to boost spending for defense and child-rearing policies, which have fanned fears about possible tax increases.

With this victory for the LDP, the chances of a regressive tax increase coming soon just went up.

The victories may bode well for Kishida and his Liberal Democratic Party amid speculation that he could dissolve the lower house for a snap election at an early date.

Snap election? Kishida has been in power for just a year and a half ( not that one would notice ,lol) and there is talk of a dissolution and a snap election? Elections cost tons of money to organise ( yet the govt always cries it has no money to improve average Tanaka san,s life ).

Perhaps the PM could serve his term in full for once.

So we all woke up to another Groundhog Day in LDP-land. YAWN!

The information in this article is such a jumble. The LDP won a few, but it lost a few in "key" elections too. Look at Osaka, the LDP can not get elected in the 2nd largest city in the country. Their loosing all the time there is an embarrassment, and it should be noted.

This is a "pro" LDP backed and written article. Picking through the mess, the LDP lost key races in locations they couldnt even put up a candidate.

This should show the opposition a ray of light. Get your stuff together and start kicking these LDP fogies out the door.

In many of the races it appears as if the LDP candidates won mostly by having the merit of not being part of the terribly weak opposition.

This article is deeply biased.

In many of the races it appears as if the LDP candidates won mostly by having the merit of not being part of the terribly weak opposition.

Indeed. Most of the candidates in my area looked like lunatics longing for their minute of fame.

Just enough high spots to keep the embers of hope alive but generally it's like a big bucket of water over reason and good sense. Once more "culture" triumphs and people keep on doing what they have always done.

You reap what you sow Japan. Vote LDP, you get LDP.

Yubaru - yep, the article looks like it was written by a few reporters who had no contact with each other at all!

Ishin now dominates Osaka prefecture and is gaining strength in others nearby. In fact, they now hold 55 seats in the 79-seat prefectural assembly, up from 44. The LDP declined from 16 to 7, effectively making Osaka a one-party prefecture. In my area the first-timer candidate, a young woman, pipped the 42-yo LDP incumbent and son of a local Diet member by just 300 votes.

https://www.nhk.or.jp/senkyo/database/touitsu/27/18709/jyo18709.html (in Japanese)

They're not all that different to the LDP philosophically, kind of like fresh bread vs old, stale bread, but still bread. They're certainly more reform-minded, but I'm not a big fan of their casino plans. The DPJ or whatever they're called these days isn't getting much of a look-in at all.

yeahhhh we don't have to get real jobs and actually work!!

In many of the races it appears as if the LDP candidates won mostly by having the merit of not being part of the terribly weak opposition.

Throughout the entire country, in literally hundreds of local elections, candidates won because they had no one opposing them, according to NHK news that is.

It's a sad state of affairs when a country that is supposedly a "democracy" can not have enough people who are willing to stand up and lead.

The Japanese public voted for their feudal masters.... as usual. They know their place.

Nothing ever changes.

The results indicated Kishida's efforts to prop up his government's popularity by making diplomatic achievements helped to some degree before he hosts a Group of Seven summit in May in his constituency of Hiroshima, political pundits said.

Blah blah blah what a bunch of bull. You all know it is because of the massive number of people who "boycotted" not because of any popularity.

Just what we all need to see on a Monday morning.

Exposed male mid riff.

Tuck in your shirt, be professional.

now there's a surprise! （⌒▽⌒）

The other round of the quadrennial local polls, designed to cut administrative costs and raise voter turnout, will be conducted on April 23 ...

Wouldn't it be much more efficient for cutting administrative costs to have a single round of polling?

Gee, what a surprise.

Feudal overlords get what they expect from the serfs.

30 years of economic failure...thank you sir, may I have another?

Tax hikes, 40% increase in energy costs, and demographic timebomb incoming, as sure as Taro Aso and Yoshiro Mori went to bed last night with a bellyful of the best food our money can buy.

YubaruToday  08:45 am JST

Throughout the entire country, in literally hundreds of local elections, candidates won because they had no one opposing them, according to NHK news that is.

It's a sad state of affairs when a country that is supposedly a "democracy" can not have enough people who are willing to stand up and lead.

Politics in Japan is for people who have lots of cash, and nothing will change while the LDP are in charge because they all have deep pockets full of the stuff.

They might have dropped that photo a bit differently...

As a foreigner, may I say that I have been impressed with PM Kishida. He seems to have his head on straight, as we say.

Are that man's flies undone? Good lord