Japan Begins Key Snap Elections

(MENAFN) Voting is underway throughout Japan in critical snap elections to select members of the influential lower chamber of parliament, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi aims to secure a new public mandate to advance her economic and security initiatives, local media reported.

Authorities are bracing for heavy snowfall that could impact voter participation in some regions. Voting commenced at 7 a.m. (2200GMT Saturday), according to a Tokyo-based news agency.

Over 104 million registered citizens are qualified to cast their ballots. Early voting occurred from Jan. 28 to Feb. 7, with more than 20 million voters participating over the 10-day period.

A total of 1,270 candidates are contending for 465 seats in the House of Representatives, making this a high-stakes election that could reshape Japan’s political environment.

To appoint a prime minister, a single party or coalition must secure at least 233 seats. The election spans 289 electoral districts, while the remaining 176 seats are distributed across 11 proportional representation regions.

Polling stations will close at 8 p.m. (1100GMT), and vote counting is expected to begin later on Sunday.

The lower house was dissolved last month by Takaichi, who sought to gain renewed public approval for her leadership. This February election marks the first of its kind in 36 years, a decision by Takaichi that has drawn criticism because heavy snowfall in several areas made election campaigning particularly challenging.

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