Japanese voters head to polls to keep Takaichi in power

Voters in Japan are heading to the polls today to determine the composition of the lower house of parliament and the future of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government, Bloomberg reports.

Takaichi has stated that she will resign if her ruling coalition fails to secure a majority.

Polls indicate that Takaichi is in a strong position: the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is expected to win a majority either on its own or together with its junior coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party.

According to the Interior Ministry, voter turnout reached 16.05% by 2:00 p.m. local time. Low participation is partly attributed to severe storms and snowfall affecting much of the country.

A key issue in the elections is the rising cost of living. The Prime Minister and the LDP have proposed a temporary suspension of the sales tax on food to support households amid sustained inflation.

Among opposition parties, attention focuses on the far-right Sanseitō Party, which finished second in last year’s upper house elections. The party advocates stricter immigration rules and aims to eliminate the sales tax entirely.

Voting will continue until 8:00 p.m. local time, after which exit poll results are expected.

By Khagan Isayev