Shizuoka’s gubernatorial election is now a neck-and-neck race between ruling party candidates and the main opposition, with speculation continuing that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida could call early elections this summer if the Liberal Democratic Party candidate is defeated.
A loss could increase internal pressure within the LDP on Kishida to call early elections, rather than wait and risk further decline in the party’s popularity, especially after the party’s poor performance in midterms elections in April.
The elections in Shizuoka became necessary after outgoing Governor Heita Kawakatsu resigned in April over controversial comments he made against prefectural officials.
