Updated: February 08, 2026 9:32:26 AM IST
Japan election live updates: Voting begins in Japan as election turns into verdict on Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi
Japan Election Live Updates: Voting began on Sunday in Japan’s lower house election, widely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Sanae Takachi’s leadership, as voters choose between his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-led government and a united opposition bloc. Takaichi is expected to win a clear victory in the midterm elections, although record snowfall in some parts of the country could dampen turnout.
According to Reuters report, opinion polls have predicted that the conservative coalition led by Takachi, Japan’s first female prime minister, could win about 300 of the 465 seats in the lower house, a sharp increase from the 233 seats previously expected.
If the LDP and its ally, the Japan Innovation Party (Ishin), cross the 310-seat mark, the alliance will have the power to dominate the upper house, where it currently lacks a majority. Takaichi has said she will step down if the coalition fails to retain its majority.
Japan’s winter elections top 10 points
1. Takaichi, 64, became prime minister in October after being elected as LDP leader and riding a wave of popularity he called a rare winter election to secure a new mandate.
2. Known for her straight-talking style and image of a hard-working worker, she has received strong support among young voters.
3. In office, she has moved quickly to accelerate military spending to counter China and pushed for sales-tax cuts, a move that has unsettled financial markets.
4. A Reuters report said that her appeal among young voters has spread into popular culture, a phenomenon driven by social media dubbed “sankatsu”, which focuses on the products she uses, such as her handbag and the pink pen she carries in parliament.
5. In the final stages of the campaign, Takachi received the endorsement of US President Donald Trump on Thursday. While this support may excite right-leaning voters, it also risks alienating some moderates.
6. If the LDP alone manages to win at least 233 seats, it would be seen as a decisive personal victory for Takachi, strengthening his authority in the lower house.
7. The failure of the LDP-Ishin alliance to win a joint majority could force Takachi to resign, potentially pushing Japan into political instability after four prime ministers in nearly three years, The Japan Times reports.
8. A total of 465 seats are up for grabs, including 289 from single-seat constituencies and 176 through proportional representation.
9. According to The Japan Times, polling stations will close at 8 pm local time, with media estimates expected to take place shortly thereafter.
10. Opinion polls predict the conservative coalition led by Prime Minister Sana Takaichi could win about 300 of the 465 seats in the lower house.
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According to Reuters report, opinion polls have predicted that the conservative coalition led by Takachi, Japan’s first female prime minister, could win about 300 of the 465 seats in the lower house, a sharp increase from the 233 seats previously expected.
If the LDP and its ally, the Japan Innovation Party (Ishin), cross the 310-seat mark, the alliance will have the power to dominate the upper house, where it currently lacks a majority. Takaichi has said she will step down if the coalition fails to retain its majority.
Japan’s winter elections top 10 points
1. Takaichi, 64, became prime minister in October after being elected as LDP leader and riding a wave of popularity he called a rare winter election to secure a new mandate.
2. Known for her straight-talking style and image of a hard-working worker, she has received strong support among young voters.
3. In office, she has moved quickly to accelerate military spending to counter China and pushed for sales-tax cuts, a move that has unsettled financial markets.
4. A Reuters report said that her appeal among young voters has spread into popular culture, a phenomenon driven by social media dubbed “sankatsu”, which focuses on the products she uses, such as her handbag and the pink pen she carries in parliament.
5. In the final stages of the campaign, Takachi received the endorsement of US President Donald Trump on Thursday. While this support may excite right-leaning voters, it also risks alienating some moderates.
6. If the LDP alone manages to win at least 233 seats, it would be seen as a decisive personal victory for Takachi, strengthening his authority in the lower house.
7. The failure of the LDP-Ishin alliance to win a joint majority could force Takachi to resign, potentially pushing Japan into political instability after four prime ministers in nearly three years, The Japan Times reports.
8. A total of 465 seats are up for grabs, including 289 from single-seat constituencies and 176 through proportional representation.
9. According to The Japan Times, polling stations will close at 8 pm local time, with media estimates expected to take place shortly thereafter.
10. Opinion polls predict the conservative coalition led by Prime Minister Sana Takaichi could win about 300 of the 465 seats in the lower house.
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February 08, 2026 9:32:25 am First
Japan election live: Cost of living remains main issue in immediate election debate
JAPAN ELECTION LIVE: The rising cost of living has emerged as one of the defining issues in the election, with households grappling with the relentless blow of inflation for the first time in a generation.
Both the ruling LDP and the opposition centrist Reform Alliance (CRA) have promised to reduce the sales tax on food to zero to ease the pressure on families.
The main difference is in duration – the LDP is proposing a temporary cut, while the CRA wants the tax cuts to be permanent.
Small parties are also sharpening their edge. The Democratic Party for the People, a center-right group, is campaigning on increasing take-home pay across the board and temporarily lowering the sales tax.
On the far right, Cencito, who won the second-largest vote share in last summer’s upper house elections, is demanding stricter rules on admitting foreign residents and ultimately wants the sales tax to be eliminated altogether.
February 08, 2026 9:27:34 am First
Japan election live: Winter storm disrupts voting day
JAPAN ELECTION LIVE: A strong winter storm swept across wide parts of Japan on Sunday, prompting heavy snowfall warnings and weather warnings across the country as voters headed to the polls.
The Japan Meteorological Agency has urged caution in many areas over conditions such as high tidal waves, traffic disruption and blizzard conditions, Bloomberg reported.
The agency said 3 centimeters of snowfall was recorded in central Tokyo in the 24 hours to 5 a.m. local time, raising concerns that the weather could impact voter turnout as the day progresses.
February 08, 2026 9:23:22 am First
Japan election live: Early turnout drops as polling begins amid heavy snowfall
JAPAN ELECTION LIVE: Voter turnout as of 10 a.m. local time on Sunday was 3.72%, significantly lower than the 6.33% recorded at the same time in the 2024 election, according to Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, cited by Bloomberg.
The initial decline comes amid concerns that severe winter weather in some parts of the country could impact overall participation as the day progresses.
February 08, 2026 9:15:35 am First
Japan election live: Voting begins for lower house elections
JAPAN ELECTION LIVE: Voters headed to polling stations across Japan on Sunday as voting began for the lower house election, which is widely regarded as a referendum on the country’s leadership, The Japan Times reported.
The contest is being seen as a direct election between Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the opposition leader, the outcome of which is expected to decide not only the balance of power in Parliament but also the future of Takaichi’s leadership.
February 08, 2026 9:04:52 am First
Japan Election Live: Heavy snowfall in parts of Japan poses threat to voting
JAPAN ELECTION LIVE: Severe winter weather is emerging as a major factor in Japan’s first mid-winter general election since 1990, with concerns it could keep some voters away from polling stations.
Record snowfall fell across parts of northern and western Japan and even reached Tokyo on Sunday local time, causing minor traffic disruptions. Public broadcaster NHK reported that some remote polling stations would close early so that ballots could be delivered to counting centers on time.
Voting is already a weak point in Japanese elections. In recent votes, participation has been around 55%, lower than most advanced democracies.
February 08, 2026 9:02:41 am First
Japan election live: How LDP’s strong victory could change Japan-China relations
JAPAN ELECTION LIVE: Current and former Japanese officials say a decisive victory in the lower house election could give Prime Minister Sanae Takachi new political muscle in an increasingly tense standoff with China, although Beijing has shown little sign of softening its stance.
Just weeks after taking office, Takachi sparked his most serious confrontation with China in more than a decade by publicly raising questions about how Tokyo might respond to a possible Chinese attack on Taiwan, Reuters reported.
With a strong popular mandate, Takachi is also expected to move quickly on plans to strengthen Japan’s military. Those efforts are likely to further irritate Beijing, which has accused him of trying to revive Japan’s militaristic past.
February 08, 2026 8:49:16 am First
Japan election live: What does victory look like for Takaichi? Here’s the margin that matters
JAPAN ELECTION LIVE: Opinion polls show that Prime Minister Sanae Takachi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (Ishinin), could gain about 300 seats in the 465-member lower house, a comfortable jump from the razor-thin majority they currently have.
The first major benchmark is 261 seats, known as an absolute stable majority. Crossing this line will give the alliance control over parliamentary committees, making it easier to pass laws and approve important budget bills.
The big prize is 310 seats. Achieving that number would give Takachi a super-majority, allowing his coalition to dominate the upper house, where it currently lacks the numbers.
The stakes are equally clear on the downside. If the coalition fails to retain a simple majority in the lower house, Takachi has already said she will step down as prime minister.
