A prominent member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party with a Cabinet ministerial experience has expressed a sense of crisis for his party as the nationwide local elections in April draw near.
Although it is utterly unthinkable that the LDP would suffer a defeat in those prefectural and municipal elections, he said, the party's local organizations are already in a dying condition.
Although the LDP has a commanding majority in both houses of the Diet in the absence of a powerful opposition party, his view is being shared privately by LDP members.