Ruling LDP most popular in upcoming general election: poll

I'm on the edge of my seat. Could be the most exciting election in decades. So many choices and charismatic candidates.

What a tremendous surprise.

The party which has wallowed in mediocrity and corruption for the last 70 years, leading Japan ever downwards with its repetition of failed policies, will be re-elected by a politically-apathetic population who, five years from now, after probably three more unelected PMs, will look at their dwindling options for the future, shrug and say "Shoganai" and vote LDP again.

Democracy just never happened here.

In a nationwide telephone survey conducted on Saturday and Sunday, 26.4 percent of respondents said they plan to vote for the LDP, led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, in the proportional representation segment

Depressing that this percentage of a population can condemn the rest to a society of stagnation and regressive policies.

Not that it is much different in the other major democracies mind you.

Sure, No surprise at all, with 81 billion yen being spent on the reelection they have to or must become the most popular.

Sorry my mistake 81.6 billion yen for reelections.

Ah stagnant economy and a declining birthrate.

Rising costs for consumers and salaries not going up ...

And the LDP solution to all this ?

Urges and 'gaman' while they skim the fat from the top and line their own pockets .

Sigh

Of course, it is the default position. A compliant population who go out and vote for their hereditary, semi feudal masters.

Actually the support for the opposition is higher than before.

LegrandeToday  09:35 pm JST

Actually the support for the opposition is higher than before.

i’m not sure what to say really!!

But its always a forgone election. LDP win along with the coalition party. Because all the other leaders, want to have their own “little party” rather than joining together to make a “bigger more effective political party” with a real chance of winning. Better to have 100% of your own power in your “own small party” rather than being a small member in a big opposition party that could win real power and implement some other policy changes. Remember when they become unpopular, resign, bow, say sorry, elect a new leader, become unpopular and they rinse and repeat.

KiplingToday  08:51 pm JST

Of course, it is the default position. A compliant population who go out and vote for their hereditary, semi feudal masters.

I have to agree and it makes me wonder who the down voters are. If you’ve been in power for over 60 years, is there really much of a democracy? Or a sign of how pathetic the opposition is?

If you’ve been in power for over 60 years, is there really much of a democracy?

No, but you’re being Mr. Obvious. Japan is only democratic by name. Japan is more suitable for an imperial system where the leader or leading party speaks and everyone follows.

It shows that even MacArthur, the greatest ruler of Japan in instilling peace in the country and its Constitution, did not realize you can’t force democracy onto a 2600 year culture that by nature, respects authoritarian rule.

There is no change as long as same party is in power for the last 70 years, longer than Putin's United Russia party.

Japanese voters who still support LDP are nothing but cultists anymore despite ruining country socially, medically, economically, scientifically and politically.

Abe234:

If you’ve been in power for over 60 years, is there really much of a democracy?

In Japanese politics, factions within the LDP have played the role of opposition. The competition among factions was sometimes fiercer than that between the LDP and non-LDP parties.

I wonder if the participants in the poll are answering on landlines?

26.4% deciding who gets a "majority."

Also known as the "Tyranny of the Minority."

I'm on the edge of my seat. Could be the most exciting election in decades. So many choices and charismatic candidates.

my favorite comment of the day.

Ah, the traditional Kyodo "The LDP are going to win" article disseminated around the world two weeks before the LDP wins the election.

You get who you vote for!

Obviously and sadly the Japanese electorate is still not ready for real change ..

These LDP buffoons are running Japan into the dirt! They need some innovators with new ideas not more of the same!

In regard to democracy...no Japan doesn't have it but then do western countries with only 2 main parties? I'd call that duocracy not democracy!

SanjinosebleedToday 08:59 am JST

In regard to democracy...no Japan doesn't have it but then do western countries with only 2 main parties? I'd call that duocracy not democracy!

Two parties still represents an actual choice. More so when primaries are actually somewhat open.

SanjinosebleedToday  08:55 am JST

These LDP buffoons are running Japan into the dirt! They need some innovators with new ideas not more of the same!

The LDP are only interested in staying in power so for them things are just fine the way they are.

For the survey, 617 randomly selected households with eligible voters and 3,367 mobile phone numbers were called, yielding responses from 503 household members and 761 mobile phone users.

26.4% deciding who gets a "majority."

Please, calm down a bit and instead sharpen your understanding of election polls, election processes and rules, election outcomes and statistical math in general before publishing such irrelevant pseudo data and the wrong accusations by readers as a reaction.

Please, calm down a bit and instead sharpen your understanding of election polls, election processes and rules, election outcomes and statistical math in general before publishing such irrelevant pseudo data and the wrong accusations by readers as a reaction.

What statistical problem do you see with this data? For a population of 100 mil (around what is the amount of people that can vote in Japan) a sample with 95% confidence and a 5% margin of error would be of 385 people. Even the much more restrictive 3% margin of error would only need 1068 people responding to the poll, 1264 are more than enough to give significant results.

I remember learning the expression 一党独裁 (one-party rule), and thinking "well, I've just learned the phrase that sums up Japan even better than 我慢, しょうがない or 褒めてください、部長

it makes me wonder who the down voters are

I guess some imagine the LDP's brilliance is far beyond what outsiders can understand so they downvote without any attempt to enlighten us. Others have no idea what they think and don't really understand their own country. They seem to be young and have no historical perspective.

scandals, inflation, high prices, low wages... let's vote for more of the same!!!

scandals, inflation, high prices, low wages... let's vote for more of the same!!!

If Japan were a functional democracy, the LDP wouldn’t have a chance.

What statistical problem do you see with this data?

Well, usually the base is not such thin as this time. So, while the calculations, also yours are formally correct, the problem is the very high margin. In this campaign and in the real election outcome, such big differences are quite decisive, and five percent more or less of seats gives a theoretical max difference of 10 percent. That clearly can potentially change the majority / minority ratio and the next government.

quercetumToday 10:13 pm JST

If Japan were a functional democracy

It is, no matter how many times you try to push the CCP line and assert otherwise.

isabelleToday  12:00 am JST

quercetumToday 10:13 pm JST

"If Japan were a functional democracy"

It is, no matter how many times you try to push the CCP line and assert otherwise.

How? Give the vote value disparity and the high cost of election campaigns, both of which strongly favour the LDP with its rural support and piles of dirty money, no other party can win a majority and form a government.