Key Facts
• July 20: Upper House election voting day announced.
• July 6: Renho, 57, campaigns in Tokyo questioning Shinjiro Koizumi’s rice policy.
• Renho criticizes government’s discretionary sale of reserve rice as misleading.
• She highlights rising rice prices due to reduced production under government policies.
• Renho advocates for policy change, citing past Democratic Party income support for farmers.
• Koizumi defends his stance, criticizing opposition’s agricultural budget proposals.
• Koizumi claims Democratic Party reduced Ministry of Agriculture budget during its tenure.
• Community notes clarify budget reductions predate Democratic Party governance.
• Proportional representation candidates: Liberal Democratic Party (31), Constitutional Democratic Party (22), others follow.
• Renho emphasizes voter power to reduce ruling coalition’s majority in the Upper House.
Summary
During a campaign speech in Tokyo, Renho, a candidate from the Constitutional Democratic Party, criticized Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi’s discretionary sale of government reserve rice, questioning its effectiveness amid rising rice prices. She attributed the price surge to government policies reducing production and called for reforms, referencing the Democratic Party’s past income support for farmers. Koizumi countered by accusing the opposition of irresponsibility in proposing a tenfold agricultural budget increase and defended his record, noting budget increases under his leadership. Community notes clarified that budget reductions began before the Democratic Party’s governance. Renho urged voters to challenge the ruling coalition’s majority in the upcoming Upper House election, where multiple parties are fielding candidates.
