Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's leadership faced a blow as the ruling Liberal Democratic Party suffered defeat in a recent by-election that had previously been an LDP stronghold. The LDP did not field candidates in two other districts due to scandals, adding to the troubles faced by the party.
The defeat in the by-election was a consequence of a damaging slush fund scandal involving LDP factions and their fund-raising parties, leading to resignations of LDP lawmakers in response to the scandals. The LDP candidate in the Shimane No. 1 district, Norimasa Nishikori, was defeated by Akiko Kamei of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, marking a significant win for the opposition party.
The sudden death of Hiroyuki Hosoda, the former Lower House speaker, necessitated the by-election and brought attention to the money scandal involving LDP factions. The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan capitalized on the scandal, criticizing the LDP's handling of political reform and calling for change. Despite efforts by Kishida and the LDP to secure a win, the opposition emerged victorious in all three by-elections, including Nagasaki and Tokyo, reflecting a broader discontent with the ruling party.