Parties to Test Political Waters in Tokyo Election Ahead of Upper House Vote

295 Candidates Vying for 127 Tokyo Assembly Seats; Many Eyes on Whether LDP Can Remain Biggest Group (UPDATE1)

Official campaigning kicked off Friday for the June 22 Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election, with much attention being paid to whether the Liberal Democratic Party can remain the assembly’s largest force.

Parties to test political waters in Tokyo election ahead of Upper House vote

The election is seen as an early indicator of how voters nationwide might cast their ballots in next month’s Upper House poll.

Campaigning begins for Tokyo assembly vote, ahead of upper house race

Official campaigning for the Tokyo metropolitan assembly election kicked off Friday, drawing attention as a prelude to this summer's House of Councillors race, with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's popularity remaining sluggish. As no party holds a majority in the 127-member assembly, all eyes are on whether Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party can retain its seats, with approval ratings for his Cabinet sometimes dipping below 30 percent, widely vie…