A Yomiuri Shimbun survey shows that 74% of Liberal Democratic Party candidates for the House of Representatives election support a limited reduction in the consumption tax rate, while 20% prefer maintaining the current rate, indicating caution within the party ahead of Sunday's vote.
The Yomiuri Shimbun survey, conducted ahead of the official campaigning period, reached all 1,285 candidates for the lower house, with 1,251 responding—a 97% response rate. On the 10% consumption tax, 47% of respondents overall favored a limited cut, 43% supported a permanent reduction or abolition, and 8% preferred maintaining the current rate.
Among Liberal Democratic Party candidates, 74% backed a limited cut, aligning with the party's pledge to accelerate discussions on exempting food and beverages from tax for two years. The 20% opting for the status quo included prominent figures such as Internal Affairs Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Economy Minister Ryosei Akazawa, and Land Minister Yasushi Kaneko. This group also featured former Prime Ministers Fumio Kishida and Shigeru Ishiba, as well as Itsunori Onodera, chair of the party's Tax System Research Commission, and other senior members. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who leads the LDP, did not respond.
Takaichi announced the tax reduction plan at a January 19 press conference marking the dissolution of the lower house, just before the election. The abrupt timing and phrasing of "accelerating discussions"—rooted in a coalition agreement with the Japan Innovation Party—appear to have fueled internal caution. The LDP's platform conditions any reduction on post-election debate in a bipartisan national council.
In last year's House of Councillors election, when no tax cut was in the platform, 72% of LDP candidates favored the status quo. Support for cuts was near-universal among other parties: 98% for the Japan Innovation Party, 97% for the Centrist Reform Alliance, 95% for the Democratic Party for the People, and 100% for Sanseito. All candidates from Team Mirai preferred no change.
Candidates' top priorities included the economy and employment at 71%, followed by child-rearing support and social security issues like pensions and healthcare at 36%. The consumption tax ranked fourth at 33%. With the postwar shortest 16-day campaign period from dissolution to election day on Sunday, divisions within the LDP are under scrutiny.
