In the upcoming House of Representatives election on October 27, Komeito, a junior ruling coalition partner, has decided to endorse several candidates from its senior partner, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). This move is seen as an attempt to increase Komeito’s vote count in the proportional representation segment. However, it has sparked criticism from opposition parties due to some of these candidates being tainted by scandal.
Komeito made its decision on Wednesday and Thursday regarding which prospective candidates to support in single-seat constituencies. Among them are 18 former LDP lawmakers and chiefs of lower house electoral district branches who failed to report some income in their political funds reports. Despite this scandal, many of these candidates are effectively running as incumbents.
Komeito’s goal is to maximize the number of seats held between the ruling parties. Supporting LDP candidates has been a key part of their strategy. In previous elections, both parties cooperated by urging their supporters to vote for LDP candidates in single-seat constituencies while voting for Komeito in the proportional representation segment.
The unreported political funds scandal has led to increased public distrust in politics. Komeito leader Keiichi Ishii stated that decisions on whether or not to support LDP candidates associated with the scandal would depend on three factors: their explanation of responsibility for the scandal to local Komeito members, their contribution to cooperative ties with Komeito, and whether Komeito members consented to providing support.
Despite this criteria, Komeito decided to endorse former lower house member Hiromi Mitsubayashi and former economy minister Yasutoshi Nishimura – both unendorsed by the LDP as official party candidates. Each candidate individually requested support from relevant prefectural headquarters within Komeito.
The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leader Yoshihiko Noda criticized Komeito’s approach towards endorsing these lawmakers during a street speech in Tokyo on Thursday. He warned that if Komeito continues cooperating with them “as if they are birds of a feather,” it could lead to a loss of majority for the ruling parties in this election.