While campaigning for this Sunday's election has largely focused on economic and social security issues, people in the content industry are casting a cold eye on the contest following a recent confrontation in the Diet.

The industry, which includes entertainment businesses such as "manga" comic books, "anime" and video games, became the focus of negative attention earlier this year when the Democratic Party of Japan attacked the Liberal Democratic Party for planning a "national media arts center" with a budget of ¥11.7 billion, calling it "wasteful spending."

The DPJ strongly urged Prime Minister Taro Aso, who is known as a big fan of manga, not to build the facility aimed at collecting and exhibiting manga and animated films.