Voting under way in Japan general election as PM Takaichi seeks mandate
(Mainichi Japan)
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Voting got under way across Japan on Sunday for a general election, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi seeks a public mandate to advance her economic and security policies with her Liberal Democratic Party's new coalition ally.
With snowfall in wide areas, including Tokyo, feared to affect voter turnout, Takaichi aims to capitalize on her personal popularity to secure a majority for the LDP-led coalition with the Japan Innovation Party in the 465-member House of Representatives.
Takaichi, who became Japan's first female prime minister last October, has pledged to "immediately resign" as Japan's leader if the coalition fails to secure a majority in the powerful lower chamber.
Nearly 1,300 candidates are vying for the 465 seats, which consist of 289 in single-seat constituencies and 176 through proportional representation, where seats are allocated for parties based on how many votes they get in 11 regional blocs across Japan.
Initial voter turnout stood at 7.17 percent as of 11 a.m., down 3.26 percentage points from the same time in the previous election in 2024, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Early voting through Friday, however, increased 26.56 percent from 2024.
As ordinary households have been struggling to cope with the rising cost of living, major political parties have pledged to reduce tax burdens on the campaign trail.
Under Takaichi, a security hawk, the ruling parties also rallied support for their resolve to beef up the country's defenses in the face of an increasingly severe security environment.
While her Cabinet enjoys high support ratings, the ruling bloc had only a razor-thin majority with the support of some independents in the lower house before it was dissolved late last month.
Even if the ruling bloc manages to meet its target of securing a majority in the lower house, it still faces hurdles in the House of Councillors, or the upper house, where it remains a minority, meaning that opposition party support is critical in passing bills.
For the Centrist Reform Alliance, a new main opposition force, the election will be the first opportunity to gauge public acceptance of the once-unlikely partnership and rebut criticism that they merged for electioneering.
Media polls have pointed to the ruling camp's expanding lead over the opposition. Prior to the election, the LDP had 198 seats and the JIP held 34, while the Centrist Reform Alliance had 167.
Japan is holding a general election in February for the first time in 36 years, a move by Takaichi that has drawn criticism because heavy snowfall in many parts of the country is making campaigning difficult.
The previous election in October 2024 proved a watershed moment as the LDP, under Takaichi's predecessor, lost majority control of the chamber with its then coalition partner Komeito.
Takaichi's decision to abruptly call a snap election has been criticized for prioritizing political considerations, as it is certain to delay parliamentary enactment of the initial budget for fiscal 2026, which was originally expected by the end of March, ahead of the April start of the fiscal year.
She has justified her decision, arguing she has yet to receive public backing for Japan's "major policy shifts" under her premiership, such as her "responsible yet aggressive" fiscal stance, and the new ruling coalition formed in October.
The Centrist Reform Alliance, formed last month by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito, is challenging the LDP-led conservative bloc. The party hopes to provide an alternative for voters concerned about the country's "right-leaning" political landscape.
Komeito, backed by Japan's largest lay Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai, had been an ally of the LDP for 26 years and a key source of campaign support for their coalition before they split in October.
Almost all ruling and opposition parties have pushed to suspend or abolish the consumption tax on food products in an effort to counter prolonged inflation. Securing alternative funding and deciding when to implement it has been at the center of campaign pledges, despite concerns about Japan's fiscal health.
Among the other key themes are Takaichi's handling of diplomatic tensions between Japan and China, triggered by her remarks on a Taiwan contingency, as well as Japan's relations with the United States, its closest security ally. The ruling bloc's plans to bolster defense capabilities and ramp up related spending are under scrutiny.
For the LDP to achieve its long-held goal of amending the Constitution, it must occupy at least 310 seats, or two-thirds of the whole, to initiate a revision proposal before a national referendum.
