LDP's grip on power tested as Japanese express discontent with democracy

As Japan prepares for a snap election on October 27, dissatisfaction with democracy in the country appears widespread, recent findings from the Pew Research Center show.

The poll, conducted from January 5 to March 9 this year highlights public sentiment amid recent scandals involving the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), whose members are facing indictments related to a slush fund scandal.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, newly appointed and facing challenges within his own party, called the election to seek "a public vote of confidence as soon as possible". His LDP has held near-continuous power for 65 out of the past 69 years, a unique longevity among developed democracies, Pew says.

This duration of control surpasses even long-serving parties in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), like Germany's Christian Democratic Union or the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom, which have not governed as continuously.

The survey's findings reveal a sharp dip in the LDP's favourability, with just 30 percent of Japanese adults viewing the party favourably as of March 2024, down from previous years. The primary opposition, the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), is also struggling to gain ground, with only 29 percent favourability.

However, while low favorability for the CDP has remained steady over time, the LDP's decline is more notable and pronounced.

Lack of enthusiasm

A significant 56 percent of Japanese adults say they do not feel close to any political party, much higher than similar sentiments in other OECD countries.

This distance from political affiliations is evident as only 21 percent of respondents consistently support the LDP, while support for other parties, such as the CDP and Japan Innovation Party, trails at around 4 percent each.

The lack of enthusiasm may be contributing to Japan's historically low voter turnout, even though the country has automatic voter registration.

When it comes to satisfaction with democracy itself, only about a third of Japanese adults are content with the state of democracy in Japan.

Pew's findings indicate that those who still view the LDP favourably are more likely to be satisfied with democracy, with 58 percent of LDP supporters expressing contentment compared to only 19 percent of those who view the party unfavourably.

The gap in satisfaction levels reflects a persistent trend in Japanese public opinion as the country heads toward the high-stakes election this weekend.