Overview

• Sanseitō jumped from one to 14 seats in the House of Councillors on July 20, challenging both the LDP and established opposition.
• Eiji Seo captured about 210,000 votes in Gifu’s single-seat district, narrowing the gap with the ruling party’s candidate.
• The National Police Agency identified 889 threatening online posts and issued warnings after feeding all data into its new LO Threat Information Integrated Center.
• Veteran politician Tetsuo Morimoto, 75, topped the ballot in Matsusaka city council voting as an independent on the same day.
• Discontent over high living costs and inequality left nearly 30% of voters undecided until the last moment and fueled Sanseitō’s rapid rise.