PMShinzo Abe holds a sign with a slogan 'This is the Only Way', during a political debate in Tokyo. AFP

(VOVworld) – Official campaigning kicked off in Japan on Tuesday ahead of the Dec 14 election that is considered a referendum on the Japanese people’s desire for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to maintain his economic policies.

Abe’s Liberal-Democratic Party is determined to win at the upcoming election, while opposition parties are trying to prevent the overwhelming of the LDP, which made up 300 of the total 480 seats in the Lower House before it was dissolved 2 weeks ago.

Analysts said the opposition had not been able to form joint force against the LDP-led coalition, so they have turned to strongly criticizing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s economic policies. Known as ‘Abenomics’, the policies are blamed for increasing gap between the rich and the poor as part of the pledge to increase the average income for the middle class through job stabilization.

About 1,200 people are expected to run for 475 posts in the Lower House.