The campaign for the July 29 House of Councilors election officially kicked off Thursday, with the ruling coalition, reeling from a string of scandals involving Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's Cabinet and the public pension debacle, facing a fierce battle with the opposition camp.
The stakes are high for the prime minister. If the coalition — the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito — suffers a serious setback, the pressure on Abe to step down will intensify. Even if he stays in power, the loss of a coalition majority in the upper chamber could trigger a realignment of parties, political observers say.
Unlike a Lower House election, a ruling bloc defeat in the Upper House poll would not necessarily force a change of government. Nevertheless, past Upper House races have had an impact. A major defeat in 1989 drove Sosuke Uno step down as prime minister. Ryutaro Hashimoto did likewise after a 1998 setback.