Polls were open on Sunday morning in Japan for parliamentary elections. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved parliament in January ahead of the snap vote, a gamble intended to give her and the struggling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) a clearer mandate.
Takaichi is notably popular with many voters, including younger people, but the LDP — which has governed for most of the past seven decades — has been weakened by recent scandals and faces a newly formed opposition alliance. The far-right Sanseito party has also emerged but is not seen by many pollsters as a major threat.
Opinion surveys ahead of the election indicate the LDP is on course to win at least the 233 seats needed for a majority in the 465-member lower house. Some polls project the LDP and its coalition partner, the Japanese Innovation Party, could secure as many as 310 seats — the two-thirds threshold — which would allow the coalition to override the upper chamber controlled by the opposition. Such a result would be the LDP’s strongest since Shinzo Abe’s victory in 2017. Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, was assassinated in 2022.
A decisive LDP win would mark a significant shift to the right in Japanese politics. The party, which had only a narrow majority after poor election results in 2024, has struggled to pass legislation. Takaichi has warned she will resign if the LDP fails to win a majority.
Polling stations were due to close at 8 p.m. local time, with counting expected to run late into the night. The vote is taking place amid record snowfall in many parts of the country in recent weeks, which could slow counting and limit access to some polling places. Heavy snow has blocked roads and has been linked to dozens of deaths.
Who is Sanae Takaichi?
Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister in October. An ultraconservative and outspoken China hawk, she has praised former UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher as an inspiration and has campaigned on a message of hard work that has resonated with supporters. She advocates boosting Japan’s defense spending and capabilities in response to growing tensions with Beijing and has sought closer ties with US President Donald Trump. Takaichi has also pushed for stricter immigration policies and policies aimed at revitalizing Japan’s economy.
Edited by: Sean Sinico