Tokyo: Official campaigning for Japan's House of Councilors, known as the upper house of the Diet, began on Thursday. This election is viewed as a pivotal test for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's minority government, which is currently grappling with a rising cost-of-living crisis. According to Anadolu Agency, the 17-day campaign will decide if the ruling coalition can retain its majority in the chamber by securing at least 50 out of the 125 seats available. A total of 519 candidates have registered to run in electoral districts and through proportional representation, as reported by state broadcaster NHK. Among these candidates, 152 are women, marking nearly 30% female representation, the second-highest on record. The upper house, which consists of 248 members, conducts elections every three years to fill about half of its seats, with voting scheduled for July 20. Members are elected for six-year terms through a combination of local districts and national proportional representation. The ruling coalition c urrently controls 75 non-contested seats and needs to win 50 more in the upcoming election to maintain its majority. Prime Minister Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party (LPD) and its coalition partner, the Komeito Party, are facing criticism over rising inflation, a key issue in the opposition parties' campaigns. Having lost their majority in the lower house last year, the coalition operates a minority government reliant on outside support from opposition groups. Both ruling and opposition parties are proposing various measures to address economic concerns, such as direct cash payments, reducing or abolishing the consumption tax, and interventions to curb rising rice prices. Other campaign topics include pensions, social security, declining birth rates, and foreign policy, particularly in relation to US tariff pressures. The LPD, traditionally supported by agricultural groups, has vowed not to sacrifice the agriculture sector amid US demands for increased market access.