Official campaigning has commenced for a House of Councillors by-election in western Japan, the first national contest since Prime Minister Fumio Kishida revamped his Cabinet last month in a bid to re-energize his political base.
Voters are casting their ballots to select candidates who will fill five vacant seats in parliament, about a week after a man threw an explosive device at Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a campaign speech.
Official campaigning starts for elections to pick mayors and assembly members in a number of cities across Japan as part of the second round of a series of quadrennial local contests.