Japan is holding a snow-hit snap general election on Sunday (Feb 8), a vote closely watched as a test of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s leadership and the standing of her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Polls point to a strong showing for Japan’s first female prime minister, in a vote that pits the LDP against the newly formed Centrist Reform Alliance, just 15 months after the last lower house election.
When Takaichi took office in October, the LDP was 37 seats short of a majority in the lower house – a position that worsened when Komeito, its coalition partner, broke away and joined hands with the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party to form the Centrist Reform Alliance.
Stay with us for live updates and results.
