TOKYO: Campaigns for the July 10 national election for the House of Councillors has started and the candidates have been concentrating on inflation and the high cost of living.

One of the candidates from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, former Olympic volleyball player Kentaro Asahi, supported the policies of Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio as he campaigned in the busy Shinjuku district.

Economy Minister HAGIUDA Koichi came to support  and former Prime Minister ABE Shinzo gave a speech of encouragement, touting his plans for constitutional amendments on defense changes in view of the situation in Ukraine and Taiwan. There were, however, some dissenting voices on the streets who were vocal in their opposition to government policies.

At Nakano Station in Tokyo, a popular area for young people, Yukio Edano the former leader of the Democratic Constitutional Party, expressed concern about rising international tensions and stagnating wages.

Popular politician Taro Yamamoto backed measures that included the abolition of the consumption tax, which currently stands at 10 percent and which affects the purchasing power of households.