Learning from the insufficient response to the coronavirus crisis by the cabinets of former prime ministers Shinzo Abe and Yoshihide Suga, the government is aiming to make a preemptive strike against the new omicron variant by banning all nonresident foreigners from entering Japan in principle.
Sunday’s election saw a number of well-known lawmakers lose in their districts, with a handful regaining seats in the lower chamber via the proportional representation system.
Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party leader Fumio Kishida took office as the country's 100th prime minister on Oct 4, but his government will not be in office for even one month as he has called the general election on Oct 31.
How well the LDP does in the upcoming Lower House election will depend not only on Kishida but also four top party officials who were appointed Friday.
Personnel choices made by Fumio Kishida, the newly elected head of the Liberal Democratic Party, left even ruling party lawmakers scratching their heads after promises of a complete revamp to give it a fresh image to voters.