Ishiba, his liberal democratic party (LDP) and the conservative coalition partner New Komeito Party hope for a majority, but the opinion polls look bleak for the government.
Ishiba's coalition lost its majority in the election to the Japanese lower house in October. The government has not managed to deliver solutions to problems such as rising prices for, among other things, Japan's traditional staple food rice, and wages that are lagging behind. In addition, the government is plagued by the aftermath of corruption scandals. Tariffs of 25 percent from US President Donald Trump, which come into force on August 1, also worsen the situation.
The largest opposition party, the liberal Constitutional Democratic Party, has gained ground. Frustrated voters are also turning to rapidly growing populist parties. Above all, the right-wing populist party Sanseito has had successes, with a policy that revolves around tougher measures against immigrants, and traditional gender roles.
A poor election result for LDP will not lead to an immediate change of government, but is expected to lead to demands within the party for Ishiba to resign or seek a new coalition partner.
