Voting and ballot-counting for the 25th House of Councillors election will be held Sunday. Whether the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito can jointly secure 63 seats, which account for a majority of the contested seats, is a focus of attention of the upper house poll.

 A total of 370 candidates are running for the 124 seats contested in this upper house election: 215 candidates are running in prefectural constituencies for a total of 74 seats, and 155 candidates are running in the proportional representation segment in which 50 seats are contested.

 Female candidates number 104, at 28.1 percent, the highest-ever percentage.

 Another focus of attention is whether forces committed to revision of the Constitution — the ruling LDP, its junior coalition partner Komeito, Nippon Ishin no Kai and independents — will be able to maintain two-thirds of upper house seats after the election.

 The proportion, which is 164 seats, is necessary to initiate Diet deliberations on Constitutional amendments.

 To maintain at least two-thirds of the seats, the ruling parties and others committed to constitutional reform need to gain a total of at least 85 contested seats.