Key Facts
• July 2025: Shigeru Doko, incumbent, loses Toyama Upper House election.
• Toyama, known as a conservative stronghold, saw LDP defeat for the first time since 2007.
• Winner: Yukie Niwata, a newcomer from the Democratic Party for the People.
• LDP’s internal issues: Improper party member registration by Hiroaki Tabata caused controversy.
• Over 50% of LDP supporters considered the party member issue when voting.
• SNS impact: Over 50% of voters under 50 prioritized SNS for political information.
• SNS influence extended to older generations: 48% of voters in their 60s and 40.6% of those 70+.
• Niwata’s SNS-focused campaign outperformed Doko’s by 20 percentage points among SNS users.
• A 65-year-old voter cited discovering Niwata through online videos during the campaign.
• Risks of SNS: Direct communication bypasses traditional media but may spread biased information.
Summary
The July 2025 Upper House election in Toyama marked a significant shift as Shigeru Doko, the incumbent from the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), lost to Yukie Niwata of the Democratic Party for the People. This was the first LDP defeat in the region since 2007, attributed to internal party issues, including improper member registration by Hiroaki Tabata, and the growing influence of social media (SNS). Over half of voters under 50 relied on SNS for political information, with notable adoption even among older generations. Niwata’s SNS-driven campaign resonated across age groups, outperforming Doko’s by 20 percentage points among SNS users. While SNS has bridged the gap between politicians and voters, it also raises concerns about the spread of biased information. The election highlighted the need for traditional media to adapt in the digital age.
