Polls opened across Japan on Sunday in parliamentary elections that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hopes will deliver a clear victory. (File Photo)
Polls opened across Japan on Sunday in parliamentary elections that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hopes will deliver a clear victory for her ruling party and allow her to push through major policy changes, the Associated Press (AP) reported.
Takaichi, who became Japan’s first female prime minister in October, called the snap election as her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) struggled with public support despite her own popularity. She is seeking a strong mandate to move forward with economic, security and defence plans.
Speaking during the campaign, Takaichi said she was ready to “work, work, work” if voters backed her, according to remarks carried by Reuters.
Who is voting and what is at stake
Voters are choosing members of the powerful lower house of parliament, which has 465 seats. Takaichi is aiming for the LDP to win a majority on its own or secure a strong majority with its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party.
Opinion polls published by major Japanese newspapers suggest the LDP could secure a simple majority, while the governing coalition could win up to 300 seats. That would mark a sharp recovery from the narrow majority the party held after losses in the 2024 election.
Takaichi has said she would step down if the LDP fails to win a majority. “If the LDP does not win, I will resign,” she told reporters earlier, according to Reuters.
What policies Takaichi wants to push
A strong win would allow Takaichi to move ahead with plans to revise Japan’s security and defence policies by the end of the year. She has called for stronger military capabilities, higher defence spending and changes to restrictions on weapons exports.
A voter casts a ballot in the lower house election at a polling station Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte)
She has also argued for closer cooperation with the United States, while managing ties with Washington under US President Donald Trump.
On domestic issues, Takaichi focused her campaign on economic growth, immigration controls and policies affecting foreign residents and property ownership. She largely avoided sensitive debates over constitutional change during the campaign.
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Opposition and challenges
Japan’s opposition remains divided, despite the emergence of a new centrist alliance and the rise of smaller nationalist parties. Analysts say this fragmentation has made it difficult for rivals to pose a serious challenge to the LDP.
Voting could be affected in parts of northern Japan due to recent heavy snowfall, which has blocked roads and caused deaths. Officials said this could delay voting or ballot counting in some areas. Results are expected later on Sunday.
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Polls opened across Japan on Sunday in parliamentary elections that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hopes will deliver a clear victory. (File Photo) 
