Key Facts
• Independent incumbent Takako Nagae secures second victory in Ehime constituency.
• Nagae’s campaign emphasized a ‘completely independent’ and ‘anti-LDP’ stance.
• In Saga, LDP’s Yuhei Yamashita and CDP’s Akemi Tominaga are in a close contest.
• Nagasaki sees a fierce race between LDP’s Tomoichiro Koga and DPFP’s Hiroshi Fukahori.
• Kumamoto’s single seat is contested by LDP’s Seiji Baba and CDP’s Satoshi Kamata.
• Oita features a tight race between LDP’s Aki Shirasaka and CDP’s Tadatoshi Yoshida.
• Okinawa’s race is neck-and-neck between LDP’s Ryo Okuma and All Okinawa-backed Saya Takara.
• LDP’s victory in Okinawa would mark their first win in 15 years.
• In 2023, Yoshida narrowly lost to Shirasaka by 341 votes in Oita’s by-election.
Summary
The 2025 Upper House election is witnessing intense competition across multiple constituencies. In Ehime, independent incumbent Takako Nagae secured her second victory, running on an anti-LDP platform. Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, and Oita constituencies are all experiencing tight races, with candidates from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) facing strong challenges from opposition parties, including the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) and Democratic Party for the People (DPFP). In Okinawa, the LDP’s Ryo Okuma and All Okinawa-backed independent Saya Takara are locked in a fierce battle, with the LDP aiming for their first victory in the region in 15 years. The outcomes of these races could significantly impact Japan’s political landscape.
