Campaigning for two pivotal by-elections in Tokyo and Fukuoka kicked off Tuesday, the outcomes of which could influence Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to call a snap election early next year.
The Oct. 23 by-elections, which are taking place in the Tokyo No. 10 and Fukuoka No. 6 districts, will choose successors to Yuriko Koike, who successfully ran for Tokyo governor in July, and Kunio Hatoyama, who passed away in June.
The timing of the by-elections couldn't have come at a more touchy political moment. They come only a few months after the Upper House election in July, which saw Abe's ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its allies — who favor amending the Constitution — win a sweeping victory.