Japan Votes in Snap Election as PM Takaichi Seeks Mandate, Vows to Resign

Takaichi is aiming to secure a majority in the 465-member House of Representatives for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party-led bloc with the Japan Innovation Party, while heavy snowfall across wide parts of the country threatens to dampen voter turnout.

Japan's first female prime minister, who took office last October, has said she would "immediately resign" if the coalition fails to secure control of the powerful lower chamber.

Nearly 1,300 candidates are contesting the election, with 289 seats decided in single-seat constituencies and 176 through proportional representation across 11 regional blocs.

With households grappling with rising living costs, major parties have campaigned on pledges to ease tax burdens, while the ruling camp has also emphasised strengthening Japan's defence posture amid what it calls a worsening security environment.

Under Takaichi's leadership, the government has rallied support for boosting military capabilities, even as the ruling bloc entered the race with only a razor-thin majority, supported by independents, before parliament was dissolved late last month, Kyodo News reported.

Even if the coalition clears the majority mark in the lower house, it still lacks control of the upper chamber, meaning cooperation from opposition parties will remain essential for passing legislation.

For the main opposition Centrist Reform Alliance, the election represents its first major test after being formed through a merger involving the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito, as it seeks to counter criticism that the alliance was created purely for electoral advantage.

Media surveys have indicated a widening lead for the ruling bloc. Ahead of the vote, the LDP held 198 seats, the Japan Innovation Party 34, and the Centrist Reform Alliance 167, according to Kyodo News.

Japan is holding a February general election for the first time in 36 years, a decision by Takaichi that has drawn criticism because severe winter conditions complicate campaigning.

The previous election in October 2024 marked a turning point when the LDP under Takaichi's predecessor lost its majority with former coalition partner Komeito.

Takaichi's snap election call has also sparked criticism for delaying passage of the fiscal 2026 budget, originally expected by the end of March ahead of the April start of the financial year. She has defended the move, saying she has yet to receive public backing for Japan's "major policy shifts", including her "responsible yet aggressive" fiscal approach and the new ruling coalition formed in October.

The Centrist Reform Alliance is challenging the conservative bloc, hoping to attract voters uneasy with what it describes as Japan's increasingly "right-leaning" political climate.

Komeito, backed by Japan's largest lay Buddhist organisation Soka Gakkai, had been allied with the LDP for 26 years before the partnership ended in October.

Almost all parties have pledged to suspend or abolish the consumption tax on food products to counter prolonged inflation, though funding sources and timelines remain contentious amid concerns over Japan's fiscal health, Kyodo News said.

Foreign policy has also emerged as a campaign issue, including Takaichi's handling of tensions with China following her remarks on a Taiwan contingency, as well as relations with the United States, Japan's closest security ally. The ruling bloc's plans to ramp up defence spending are under close scrutiny.

For the LDP to advance its long-standing goal of constitutional revision, it would need at least 310 seats, a two-thirds majority, to initiate changes ahead of a national referendum.

- ANI