Key Facts
• July 20: Voting day for the Senate election in Osaka.
• 19 candidates competing for 4 seats in a highly contested race.
• Communist Party candidate Tadashi Shimizu (57) focuses on economic policies, advocating a 5% consumption tax reduction.
• Shimizu opposes xenophobic rhetoric, promoting a society of coexistence.
• Hiroyuki Seto (73) of the Japan Reform Party campaigns against the 2030 Osaka casino project and Chinese immigration.
• Seto advocates deportation of all undocumented foreign residents.
• Independent candidate Masanori Sera (69), a musician, highlights foreign policy issues, including overtourism and land acquisition by foreigners.
• Sera compares voting to concert tickets, urging citizens to use their votes to drive change.
• 2022 Osaka Senate election turnout was 52.45%, indicating voter engagement challenges.
• Candidates utilize social media and street campaigns to connect with voters.
Summary
The Osaka Senate election, set for July 20, features 19 candidates vying for 4 seats in a competitive race. Key candidates include Tadashi Shimizu of the Communist Party, who emphasizes economic reforms and opposes xenophobia, Hiroyuki Seto of the Japan Reform Party, who campaigns against the Osaka casino project and immigration, and independent musician Masanori Sera, who focuses on foreign policy and voter engagement. With a 2022 turnout of 52.45%, candidates are leveraging social media and public appearances to mobilize voters.
