Elections a key test for Japanese govt

Pivotal political campaigns began in Japan today, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe facing the first major electoral test of his embattled government.

Mr Abe’s public support languishes at an all-time low, his Cabinet is embroiled in scandal and international outrage swirls around his views on Second World War sex slaves.

Japan’s youngest prime minister might be forgiven for wishing the April 8 polls for 13 prefectural governors and hundreds of other local officials could be postponed.

“It’s not perfect timing,” said political analyst Shigenori Okazaki. “Now Abe’s losing his approval rating and suddenly the elections look very tough.”

Of the races, the Tokyo state poll is seen as a indication of Japan’s drift to the right under Abe and his future political capital. It pits an outspoken reformer against firebrand conservative Shintaro Ishihara, the incumbent.

In some ways, Ishihara can be seen as a stand in for the prime minister.

Backed by Mr Abe’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, Ishihara has been a champion of fiscal responsibility and conservative causes during his eight years as Tokyo governor.

But he is also a lightning rod of controversy for what critics say are disparaging remarks about foreigners and for policies seen as too nationalistic, such as the order for teachers to sing the national anthem, the “Kimigayo”.

Challenger Shiro Asano, backed by the opposition Democratic Party, says Ishihara’s “discriminatory comments” and “dictatorial style” are out of step with voters.

“Unless somebody stops Ishihara now, I feel that the situation not only in Tokyo but in Japanese politics as a whole may get entirely out of hand,” the former governor of Miyagi prefecture said earlier this week.

Similar criticisms might also be levelled against Abe, who has made nationalism a top rallying cry. He has pushed for teaching patriotism in the schools and reforming the pacifist constitution to give the military a bigger profile.

The big prize will be control of parliament’s upper house, up for grabs in nationwide elections this July. The April 8 polls, as well as two upper house by-elections later in the month, may foreshadow who comes out on top.