Campaigning officially started on Tuesday for the June 25 Lower House election, which is of particular significance to Japan because it will basically determine the nature and direction of Japanese politics at the beginning of the 21st century. As such, the general election -- the first in three years and eight months -- will also significantly affect the nation's course.
Voters are interested above all in what candidates and parties have to offer in terms of policies for the future. Intertwined with this are two issues: whether the current tripartite ruling coalition should continue to lead the nation, and whether Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori is fit to continue as chief executive, given his repeated verbal blunders in recent weeks.
Japanese politics faces a severe test of confidence. The test hinges largely on whether politicians can come up with credible plans of action in areas of critical concern to the people, such as economic recovery, social security, job creation and educational reform. Failure to do so will only increase the public's distrust of politics. In this sense, the biggest issue in this election is politics itself.