Kyodo issued its projection for the upcoming general election on Oct. 31 based on the latest nationwide telephone opinion poll and field surveys in each electoral district, saying that the ruling coalition of the LDP and Komeito party is certain to capture an “absolute majority” of at least 261 of the 465 seats up for grabs, although the LDP probably will not be able to maintain the 276 seats it held before the Lower House was dissolved on Oct. 14. The leading opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan is reportedly waging a tough campaign despite its unprecedented election cooperation with the Japanese Communist Party and other opposition parties. It remains uncertain whether the CDPJ will be able to win more than the 110 seats it held before the dissolution. The second largest opposition party, the Japan Innovation Party, is apparently waging a solid campaign not only in its base of Kansai but also in other parts of the country and is likely to win over 30 seats, three times more than it had ahead of the dissolution. Komeito and the JCP are also likely to maintain the numbers of seats they held previously.