Why did Liberal-Democratic Party support decline in many rural areas?

The decline of the Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP) in its traditional rural power base was largely driven by shifts in the party’s reform agenda and changes in the Japanese electorate.1

Historically, the LDP maintained rural support through a system of patronage, utilizing personal support organizations (koenkai) that provided constituents with intimate service and extensive public works projects. However, as the relative size of traditional voting blocs—such as agricultural households and construction groups—began to shrink by the late 20th century, the party sought to broaden its appeal to a growing number of unaffiliated urban voters.1

Under the leadership of Junichiro Koizumi, the LDP implemented reforms that prioritized deregulation and privatization while promising to reduce "pork-barrel" spending. These policies alienated many traditional supporters in rural areas by diminishing the specific economic benefits they had customarily received from the political system. Consequently, while the party’s popularity grew in urban areas, its support stagnated or declined in the rural districts that had long served as its stronghold.1