With the campaign officially kicking off for the July 11 Upper House election, political parties are weighing in on rebuilding the economy and government finances, hoping their platforms will translate into votes.

After a rocky nine months in power, the Democratic Party of Japan's campaign manifesto focuses on the economy as the priority, promising a halt to the stagnation that has "plagued the nation for the past 20 years," Prime Minister Naoto Kan said.

But it remains to be seen if the DPJ's apparent shift to a more pragmatic approach in tackling the economy will win voters over, or whether the opposition camp can present a viable alternative vision for leading the nation.