Japan’s ruling LDP seen winning outright majority in snap poll: NHK

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party has likely strengthened its majority in the country’s Lower House, with the LDP capturing between 274 and 328 in the 465 seat chamber, according to an early projection by broadcaster NHK.

This was broadly in line with what polls had suggested, with Nikkei and Asahi Shimbun predicting that the LDP and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party would secure more then 300 seats in the Lower House.

NHK projected the coalition would win up to 366 seats.

People trudged through heavy snow in several parts of the country to cast their votes.

Before parliament was dissolved, the LDP-JIP coalition held a combined 230 seats, and with three independents voting with the LDP, this effectively gave the ruling coalition a one seat majority in the chamber.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s first female leader, dissolved the Lower House on Jan. 23, a move that was seen as an attempt to quickly strengthen the ruling coalition’s position in the chamber by capitalizing on her high public approval ratings.

“Takaichi now has the LDP and the technocrats exactly where she always wanted them,” economist Jesper Koll said in a Substack post.

“The LDP is now beholden to her; and the elite technocrats now know she’ll be in power for at least two or three more years … so they have no choice but to invest their career in her success,” Koll added.

Polls compiled by Japanese media outlet Nippon.com showed that Takaichi remained popular heading into the election, although her support had slipped slightly in the recent weeks.

The outlet reported that just one domestic poll in January indicated more than 70% support, compared to three in December, while six polls showed support in the 60% range, up from four in the previous month.

Meanwhile, the Central Reform Alliance, made up of the former Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito, the LDP’s former coalition partner, was likely to pick up between 37 and 91 seats.

The CDP was the largest opposition party before its merger with Komeito, holding 148 seats, while Komeito controlled 24 seats.

The election comes amid heightened tensions between Japan and China, as well as persistent concerns over the yen’s weakness and inflation in the country.

Japan has endured inflation above the Bank of Japan’s target for 45 consecutive months, declining real wages and persistent yen weakness.

The…