Voters cast ballots at an early voting location in the Minato district of Tokyo, Japan, on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021. Three days to go to the Oct. 31 vote that determines if Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida can keep enough seats to maintain the outright majority the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has held since 2012. Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg
Tens of millions of voters head to the polls in Japan on Sunday to choose their representatives in the Lower House of the Diet.
It’s the first nationwide election during the coronavirus pandemic and an early test of leadership for Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.
Here’s what is at stake. There are 465 seats. Voters directly elect 289 people in single-seat districts. The remaining 176 are filled through proportional representation.
Kishida’s Liberal Democratic Party and its partner Komeito held 305 seats when he dissolved the chamber less than three weeks ago.
Still, he’s said he would consider winning 233 — a majority of the seats — to be a victory.
There’s an opposition strategy at play in this election. Some parties are fielding a unified candidate in many single-seat districts.
They want to ensure the ruling coalition can’t take advantage of vote-splitting.
The pandemic was, of course, a top campaign issue. Candidates debated measures to stop the virus and boost the Japanese economy.
Most polling stations are open from 7AM to 8PM. As soon as they close, officials will start counting.
About the Author
