“Most promising political party” poll. LDP comes in third, but what about first and second?

A survey conducted by Kioicho Strategic Research Institute (KSI) on July 22, 2025, with 1,000 adults across Japan revealed interesting results following the Senate election. The Democratic Party for the People ranked first as the “most promising party” with 12.4%, followed by the Sansei Party at 10.1%, and the Liberal Democratic Party at 9.8%.

This marks a shift in voter attitudes from the usual political landscape, particularly with the ruling Liberal Democratic Party only ranking third. Additionally, 33.3% of respondents said “no party is promising,” highlighting a deep-rooted distrust in politics.

Expectations for different parties varied by age. Younger voters showed higher support for the Democratic Party for the People, with over 20% in their 20s, while support was lower among those over 70. The opposite was true for the Liberal Democratic Party, which saw more support from older age groups, reaching over 10% among those 60 and older.

The Sansei Party maintained consistent support across all age groups.

Party leaders’ image and speeches significantly affected election outcomes, with 79.3% of respondents seeing them as influential. Only 13.2% said they had little or no effect, indicating the importance of leaders’ appeal and message.

Among party leaders, Yuichiro Tamaki of the Democratic Party for the People received the highest praise, aligning with the party’s strong survey results.

The top issue impacting the election was “measures against high prices” like reducing consumption tax and cash payouts, favored by 74.5% of respondents. This was followed by concerns over “politics and money” (30.7%) and “immigration and foreign workers” (30.1%).

The survey indicates that coping with high prices is a critical concern for voters, directly affecting party support based on their policy positions.

Overall, the results suggest a shift beyond traditional political frameworks and hint at potential political realignment. The Democratic Party for the People’s rise signifies growing expectations for centrist policies.