Hong Kong ( CNN ) -- The leading contenders in Japan 's upcoming national election kicked off their 12-day campaign Tuesday near the seaside prefecture that was at the heart of last year 's nuclear disaster â€ ” and is now a powerful symbol of Japan 's deepening economic woes . The man polls suggest will become the country 's next leader appealed for votes in Fukushima City , some 50 kilometers ( 30 miles ) from the site of last year 's nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant . Shinzo Abe , leader of the opposition Liberal Democrat Party ( LDP ) , has said that , if elected , he 'll decide within three years whether to restart the nuclear plants that were shut down after an earthquake and tsunami triggered nuclear devastation in March 2011 . He 's a former prime minister who stepped down in 2007 after just one year in power citing health reasons . In his first official campaign speech Tuesday , Abe focused on economic arguments , saying he will act to counter deflation , weaken the yen and promote economic stability . `` We 'll regain economic power in Japan , '' he said . Nearly two years after the nuclear meltdown , hundreds of thousands of people remain in temporary homes as the government , led by the Democratic Party of Japan ( DPJ ) , sees its support slip away . The economy is weakening , and policymakers are under enormous pressure to restore communities affected by the disaster . Since assuming power in September 2011 , current Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda has faced fierce resistance to his plan to raise government revenue by doubling the 5 % sales tax by October 2015 . He 's dealing with an economy that 's contracting -- by 3.5 % between July and September -- after years of economic malaise . If GDP continues to shrink this quarter , the country will officially enter another recession . `` Any prime minister who has seriously taken up the cause of instituting or increasing an existing consumption tax rate -- if they succeeded or failed -- has lost power , so in that sense you have to give Noda his dues , '' said Keith Henry , founder of consultancy Asia Strategy . Last month , Noda agreed to dissolve the lower house of parliament , clearing the way for an election on December 16 , as part of a deal to secure support for a crucial financial bill from the LDP . It was a risky move , and one that a poll released on Monday suggested would lead to Noda 's removal from power , just one year after assuming office . The poll , conducted by Asahi Shimbun last weekend , suggests the LDP retained a 5 % lead over the DPJ . Twenty percent of respondents said they 'd vote for the LDP if the lower house election was held now , compared to 15 % who 'd vote for Noda 's DPJ . Noda also launched his re-election campaign in Fukushima prefecture , at the Iwaki station , where he told supporters they faced a clear choice . `` The question in this lower house election is whether we can move forward with what we should do or whether we turn back to the old politics , '' he said . He has promised to phase out nuclear power by 2040 , seizing on a popular backlash against the energy source since last year 's nuclear disaster . It 's a policy pledged by other smaller parties vying for votes in an election that 's expected to see 1,500 candidates compete for 480 lower house seats . According to the polls , neither party is expected to win a majority , although Asia Strategy says a survey of polls shows that the LDP is on track for a coalition win , with its traditional ally the New Komeito Party . Amid flagging support for the major players , smaller parties have proliferated including The Japan Restoration Party , led by Shintaro Ishihara . The controversial former governor of Tokyo is perhaps best known outside the country for triggering a diplomatic spat with China over his move to buy disputed islands in the East China Sea . Earlier this year , he urged residents to donate cash to fund the purchase of the islands Japan calls Senkaku and China refers to as Diaoyu . The Japanese government eventually stepped in to buy the islands from private owners , provoking a sharp rebuke from Beijing and anti-Japanese protests across China . In the Asahi poll , 9 % of respondents said they 'd vote for Ishihara 's JRP , the same proportion who said they 'd give him their vote last week , indicating that his rising popularity may have stalled . Henry said that it 's unlikely that this election will give marginal parties enough votes to influence the parliament . `` I 'm convinced that these minor parties are going to remain minor parties , '' he said . `` They grab the attention of the media , they 're old style curmudgeons but they wo n't gain any political influence . '' Whether the combined leadership of the LDP and the New Komeito Party is able to introduce policies to contend with Japan 's major structural challenges ` remains to be seen , Henry said . If it ca n't , more political waves could be made when the upper house votes in an scheduled election next year , he said . CNN 's Junko Ogura contributed to this report .
Japan 's last year 's begins with campaign speeches in Abe . Polls show LDP is likely to return to power , led by Shinzo Abe . Fukushima is a former prime minister who stepped down citing health reasons in 2007 . Japan is struggling with economic contraction and the aftermath of 2007 nuclear disaster .