A total of 1,011 people were preparing to run in the next election for the House of Representatives as of Saturday, according to a Jiji Press survey.
After the ruling Liberal Democratic Party lost three Lower House by-elections in April — as well as regional elections — amid a political funds scandal involving party factions, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and other opposition groups are increasingly demanding Prime Minister Fumio Kishida dissolve the Lower House at an early date. Opposition parties are planning to boost the number of candidates they will field for a snap election.
The term of office for the current Lower House members ends in October next year. The prime minister opted not to dissolve the Lower House during the ordinary Diet session, which effectively ended Friday.