In the recent House of Representatives elections in Japan, the Chudō Reform Alliance faced significant challenges and fell short of a broader political impact, winning only 49 seats. Among the 202 candidates contesting for single-member districts, only seven candidates, all former members of the Constitutional Democratic Party, managed to emerge victorious. These so-called 'Seven Samurai' countered the strong popularity of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a formidable force in the elections, whose appeal raised substantial headwinds against opposition candidates.

One of the prominent figures among these winners was Kenta Izumi, who served as the party's representative and faced serious difficulties owing to his high profile. Despite being seen as a strong candidate, his association with a losing faction made it challenging to rally support, with campaign aides noting the difficult task of informing voters about the serious threats he faced despite general assumptions of his safety in the race. In the latter stages of the campaign, most notably due to increased media coverage of their precarious position, Izumi remained rooted in his constituency to engage more directly with voters through speeches and public appearances.

The electoral landscape also indicated a broader political challenge for the Chudō Reform Alliance, as prominent figures within the party faced defeats that could signal deeper issues of party cohesion and strategy. The upcoming elections in January 2026 for the House of Representatives will be critical for the party as they aim for recovery and look to overcome the challenges posed by strong opposition figures like Prime Minister Takaichi, who has successfully mobilized fresh faces into the political arena. The analysis of these recent elections underlines not only individual electoral strategies but also the collective struggle of the opposition in Japan's current political climate.