TOKYO
Polls opened across Japan on Sunday for parliamentary elections that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hopes will deliver her ruling party a decisive victory, granting her the mandate needed to advance an ambitious conservative agenda.
Despite her personal popularity, Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)—which has governed Japan for most of the past seven decades—has been weakened by a series of funding and religious scandals.
Takaichi called the snap election just three months into her tenure, seeking to consolidate her power before her public support potentially wanes.
Her agenda focuses on revitalising Japan’s economy and significantly strengthening its military as regional tensions with China rise.
She also aims to deepen ties with Japan’s crucial US ally and navigate its relationship with a sometimes unpredictable President Donald Trump.
By James Kisoo
