About 90 percent of Liberal Democratic Party candidates in the Lower House election favor anti-espionage legislation espoused by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a sharp contrast to sentiment expressed among less-conservative parties, a survey showed.

The support rate for the proposed law is even higher among candidates from the LDP’s coalition partner, Nippon Ishin (Japan Innovation Party), the Democratic Party for the People and Sanseito, according to the joint survey conducted by The Asahi Shimbun and Professor Masaki Taniguchi’s lab at the University of Tokyo.

On the other side, nearly half of the candidates from the Centrist Reform Alliance (Chudo) oppose the bill. And more than 90 percent of candidates from the Japanese Communist Party, Reiwa Shinsengumi and the Social Democratic Party are against it, the survey showed.

Takaichi has pushed for an anti-espionage law, citing threats to national security from information leaks and other actions in the country.

However, opponents say the legislation would allow for greater public surveillance by the government that could violate individual thought and ideology.

The two sides are expected to engage in heated debate over the issue in the Diet after the Feb. 8 Lower House election.

In their coalition agreement last fall, the LDP and Nippon Ishin stated that they would promptly draw up and pass an anti-espionage bill.

Although the prime minister has not touched on the issue during the election campaign, she cited the necessity of the law when she dissolved the Lower House in mid‑January.

She said it was one of the urgent tasks needed “to prevent crises before they occur and to establish a system that strategically protects the national interest.”

Among LDP candidates, 89 percent were in favor of the proposed anti-spying law to varying degrees, while 10 percent answered they “cannot say either way.”

The DPP showed a similar numbers, with 91 percent in favor and 9 percent neutral.

All candidates of Nippon Ishin, Sanseito and the Conservative Party of Japan expressed support for the law.

Among candidates of Chudo, which was formed by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito to counter the strongly conservative policies of the Takaichi administration, 46 percent opposed the law, 39 percent were neutral and 15 percent supported it.

All candidates from the JCP and Reiwa Shinsengumi were against the anti-espionage legislation.

The candidates were also asked for their view on the statement: “It is only natural for privacy and individual rights to be restricted in order to maintain public security.”

Thirty-two percent of LDP candidates expressed support for the statement, the highest ratio among all parties, followed by Conservative Party of Japan candidates at 21 percent, and Genzei Nippon-Yukoku Rengo candidates at 14 percent.

While 77 percent of Nippon Ishin candidates opposed the idea, only 14 percent of LDP candidates did so.

DAMAGING NATIONAL SYMBOLS

The LDP–Ishin coalition agreement also included the creation of a new offense for desecrating or damaging Japan’s national flag.

In October last year, Sanseito submitted a revision bill to the Upper House to impose a maximum two-year prison sentence or a fine of up to 200,000 yen ($1,276) for damaging the national flag or similar symbols with the intent to insult Japan.

Seventy-three percent of LDP candidates, 92 percent of Nippon Ishin candidates and all candidates of Sanseito and the Conservative Party of Japan expressed support for creating the new offense.

Among DPP candidates, 57 percent were in favor and 12 percent were opposed.

In contrast, 72 percent of Chudo candidates and all candidates from the JCP, Reiwa Shinsengumi and the SDP were against the new offense.

The partisan divide was similar to the one over the anti‑espionage law.

ON FOREIGN WORKERS

The survey also asked candidates about the view that “Japan should further accept foreign workers.”

Only 18 percent of LDP candidates expressed support for this idea, a significant decrease from 48 percent in the previous survey conducted during the 2024 Lower House election.

The ratio of LDP candidates against the idea doubled from the previous 14 percent to 28 percent.

Only 2 percent of Nippon Ishin candidates supported the view, compared with 26 percent who were against it.

Among DPP candidates, 29 percent were in favor and 31 percent were against it.

Support surged to 60 percent among candidates of Chudo, 56 percent at the JCP, and 100 percent for the SDP.

All candidates of the Conservative Party of Japan and 97 percent of Sanseito candidates rejected the statement.

Regarding the impact that an increase in foreign residents would have on Japan, 23 percent of LDP candidates agreed with the view that “Japan’s culture and traditions will be threatened.” The ratio rose to 79 percent among Nippon Ishin candidates.

The view that “society and culture will become more diverse and enriched” with more foreigners was held by 63 percent of Chudo candidates, 83 percent of JCP candidates and 100 percent of SDP candidates.

Although 12 percent of LDP candidates also supported this view, only 1 percent of Nippon Ishin candidates did so.

Of the 1,285 candidates officially listed on Jan. 27, the responses of 1,184 who had replied to the survey by the evening of Feb. 3 were analyzed. Because the figures were rounded, the totals may not add up to 100 percent.

(This article was written by Yoshiyuki Komurata and Daiki Koga.)