From the scattered bits of news and whatnot that I get, I have had the impression that, for the past few years, the LDP has been in serious dissaray internally, and has been flailing about, lacking a real idea as to where to go or what to do.  Their "reform" agenda has been largely rejected as people became aware of what it meant (many, MANY Japanese people I've talked to have been rather displeased with how Japan is no longer as egalitarian as it used to be, and they KNOW this has been deliberate policy), and they haven't come up with anything else - except, tentatively, nationalism.  But even that isn't very popular.

So, nail in the LDP's coffin?  Who knows.

More locally, the competition is between Jabba the Hut (so he looks on his campaign posters), son of the man who built the Aqua Line and thereby cursed the city I live in, Kisarazu, and between Young Fist Pump Man. Unfortunately, that's all I can say about them.