Party pledges for the Dec. 16 general election have highlighted the sense of urgency for economic reforms as the nation remains mired in deflation. But the pledges also reveal a dearth of long-term strategies.
The debate has revolved around what the parties would do, if they win, to make the Bank of Japan turn the economy around.
This focus has left many unanswered questions about how to improve the nation's growth potential as the population ages and companies shift production abroad.