日本参议院选战开启，石破茂政府面临“大考”

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article highlights the significance of the upcoming Japanese Senate election, which is seen as a critical battle for Prime Minister Kishida's government, particularly in light of rising prices and economic challenges [1][2] - The ruling coalition, consisting of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Komeito, is in a precarious position, having not secured a majority in the House of Representatives, making the Senate election outcome crucial for maintaining power [2] - The election will involve 125 seats, including 124 regular seats and 1 supplementary seat, with over 520 candidates expected to participate [2] Group 2 - The main focus of the election is whether the ruling coalition can retain a majority in the Senate, which would impact Kishida's position as Prime Minister and could lead to speculation about government changes or coalition expansions [2] - Recent polls indicate a slight increase in support for Kishida's government, but the LDP's support rate has dropped to 23%, the lowest in 13 years, raising concerns about the party's electoral prospects [3]