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Updated 08 February 2026 - Voters across Japan braved heavy snow on Sunday to cast ballots in a snap parliamentary election called by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, whose ruling coalition is projected to secure a commanding victory.
Takaichi calls unprecedented winter poll
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has gambled on Japan's first mid-winter general election in 36 years, seeking public backing just months after winning leadership of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) last October. The move follows the collapse of the LDP's long-standing coalition with Komeito and the loss of its majority in both parliamentary chambers.
An LDP-led alliance has dominated Japanese politics for most of the post-war era, but recent corruption scandals had severely damaged the party's reputation before Takaichi took office. Her personal approval ratings, consistently above 70%, appear to have revitalized the party's fortunes. Polls suggest the LDP's new coalition with the Japanese Innovation Party could win up to 300 of the 465 seats in the lower house.
Voters voice economic anxieties amid snow disruptions
Despite freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall, voters turned out in cities and rural areas alike, though turnout for early voting dropped 2.5% from the 2024 election, with nearly 4.6 million ballots cast early. The decline has been attributed to harsh weather conditions.
Transport disruptions were widespread, with Japan's transport ministry reporting 37 suspended train lines, 58 canceled ferry routes, and 54 grounded flights as of Sunday morning. Niigata Prefecture and other central regions faced particularly heavy snow, while Tokyo experienced rare snowfall.
Economic concerns dominated voter conversations. Ritsuko Ninomiya, a Tokyo resident, told the BBC:
"People want their lives to be better and more comfortable because we are so accustomed to not having inflation. Now, costs are rising, and people are very worried. We need long-term solutions, not just short-term fixes."
Rumi Hayama, another voter, highlighted the strain of rising housing costs:
"Our son is growing, and we need a bigger place, but it's unaffordable even with decent jobs. Prices keep climbing, making life in Japan harder than before."
Takaichi's populist pitch draws mixed reactions
Takaichi's campaign has focused on nationalist rhetoric and expansive spending promises, energizing some voters. However, critics, including business leaders, question whether her policies can revive Japan's sluggish economy. The country's government debt is already among the highest in the developed world, and her conservative stance on immigration has raised concerns about addressing labor shortages in an aging society.
Daniel Hayama, a young voter, emphasized the election's significance for his generation:
"This election matters more for younger people like us. The cold weather isn't stopping us from voting."
Opposition unity and foreign policy challenges
The LDP faces a more unified opposition than in previous elections. Komeito, the LDP's former coalition partner, has joined forces with the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan to form the largest opposition bloc in the lower house.
Political science professor Koichi Nakano of Sophia University cautioned that Takaichi's personal popularity may not translate into votes for LDP candidates, many of whom are tainted by past scandals.
"This is not a presidential election but a parliamentary one, where the LDP's candidates are mostly men linked to past scandals."
Analysts also warn that Takaichi's policies may offer short-term relief but fail to address deeper issues like weak productivity and stagnant wages. Masahiko Takeda, a senior fellow at the Australian National University, wrote this week that the government's package
"fails to tackle the underlying problems of weak productivity and stagnant real wages."
Takaichi's foreign policy has further complicated her position. Her suggestion last year that Japan could deploy its self-defense forces if China attacked Taiwan angered Beijing, Tokyo's largest trading partner. Meanwhile, Japan's relationship with the U.S., its closest ally, faces uncertainty under a second Trump presidency, despite a recent reduction in threatened tariffs from 25% to 15%.
Voter Yuko Sakai expressed concerns about balancing defense spending with domestic needs:
"I worry about President Trump's actions and national defense issues. I'm not sure where the money for increased defense spending will come from. Balancing the budget between defense and people's livelihoods is a major concern."
Others, like Ms. Hattori, emphasized the need for stability in a volatile global landscape:
"The world is changing so much with Trump in office. Peace is even more important now."
