Two political parties that have long been reliant on strong organizational support and dedicated party members — Komeito, a junior party of the ruling coalition, and the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) — are facing growing headwinds in the campaign for the Upper House election.
With their support bases aging, newer political forces gaining ground and too many parties for voters to choose from, both parties have struggled to maintain voter traction, causing them to lose seats in the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election in June.
Their share of proportional representation votes in national elections continues to decline as well.
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