Japan Holds Snap Election as PM Takaichi Seeks Public Support
Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time (2200 GMT Saturday), amid concerns that heavy snowfall could affect voter turnout in some regions. More than 104 million people are registered to vote. Early voting ran from January 28 to February 7, with over 20 million ballots cast during that period.
A total of more than 1,270 candidates are contesting 465 seats in the House of Representatives, in a high-stakes vote that could reshape Japan’s political landscape. A party or coalition needs at least 233 seats to select a prime minister.
Of the 465 seats, 289 are elected from constituencies, while the remaining 176 are distributed across 11 proportional representation blocs. Polling will close at 8 p.m. local time (1100 GMT), with counting scheduled to begin later on Sunday.
The lower chamber was dissolved last month by Takaichi to seek public approval for her premiership. This February vote is the first of its kind in 36 years, a timing choice that has drawn criticism because snow-heavy regions made campaigning challenging.
Media polls indicate that the Liberal Democratic Party and its ally, the Japan Innovative Party, are poised for a strong showing, with projections suggesting the alliance could secure around 300 of the 465 seats.
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