Tokyo, Japan. Japanese voters cast ballots on Sunday in a winter election held amid heavy snowfall that disrupted traffic and could affect turnout, with opinion polls predicting a decisive win for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Polls project major seat gain for ruling coalition
The conservative coalition led by Takaichi, Japan’s first female leader, was projected to win around 300 of the 465 seats in the lower house of parliament, according to multiple opinion polls. That would be a significant increase from the 233 seats it is defending.
Snowfall affects voting conditions in Niigata
In Niigata prefecture, where snow piled up more than 2 metres in some places, teacher Kazushige Cho, 54, said outside a polling station in a small town that he was determined to vote for Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party despite the weather. He cited her leadership and policy momentum.
Takaichi seeks mandate after taking office in October
Takaichi, 64, became prime minister in October after being selected leader of the Liberal Democratic Party. She called the winter election as she sought to build on her personal popularity.
Policy agenda draws attention from Beijing and markets
Takaichi has accelerated military spending to counter China, a move that has angered Beijing. She has also pushed for a sales-tax cut that has rattled financial markets.
Seiji Inada, managing director at consultancy FGS Global, said a large win could give Takaichi greater political room to follow through on key commitments, including consumption-tax cuts. He said markets could react in the following days and the yen could come under renewed pressure.
Tax-cut proposal prompts investor and voter concerns
Takaichi has promised to suspend the 8% sales tax on food for two years to help households cope with rising prices. Investors have raised concerns about how Japan, which has the heaviest debt burden among advanced economies, would fund the plan.
Niigata resident Mineko Mori, 74, said she worried the tax cuts could leave future generations with a bigger burden. Mori said she planned to vote for Sanseito, a small far-right party that broke through in a 2025 upper house ballot with promises to crack down on badly behaved foreigners and control immigration.
How do you think heavy snowfall could affect voter turnout in this election?
