Japan's shifting defense posture, fiscal strain, and mounting living costs are set to dominate the country's upcoming general election, according to a Japanese scholar.
In an interview with China Media Group (CMG), Noriyuki Kawamura, emeritus professor at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies, voiced concern over Japan's political and economic trajectory.
"The Takaichi cabinet is currently attempting to advance Japan's military expansion. This signifies a departure from the 'peaceful nation' defense policy upheld by previous administrations. First, it involves allowing the export of lethal weapons. In terms of security policy, it also involves the continuous expansion of the defense budget. This clearly departs from the basic security policy of 'exclusive defense' rooted in Japan's pacifist Constitution, which is a serious problem," Kawamura said.
Beyond security issues, the scholar noted that the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is struggling to regain public confidence following the "slush fund" scandals. This crisis of trust has left the party in a vulnerable position heading into the polls.
"In particular, recent actions by LDP members regarding political funds have been highly opaque and even improper. This has led to a decline in public trust in the LDP, resulting in a decrease in the number of LDP lawmakers. Ultimately, this is a matter of trust in politics," he added.
Kawamura also highlighted that economic policy will be another major focus for voters. He noted that the Takaichi administration has advocated an "aggressive fiscal policy" aimed at stimulating growth through expanded government spending, a stance that has raised concerns over fiscal sustainability.
"The Diet was originally supposed to convene in January for full deliberations on the general budget for the new fiscal year. However, due to the snap election, this has become impossible. In this election, various parties have proposed lowering the consumption tax or even reducing it to zero. Yet, the consumption tax has long been a vital source of revenue for Japan's finances. While stock prices continue to rise, the Japanese yen has weakened significantly. A depreciating yen leads to rising prices, making life more difficult for ordinary people. How to resolve this contradiction is a major problem that remains to be addressed," Kawamura said.
The official announcement for Japan's 51st House of Representatives election was issued on Tuesday, with voting and ballot counting scheduled for February 8.
Japanese scholar highlights defense, fiscal pressures as election campaign begins
