Japan is holding early parliamentary elections. The current prime minister is predicted to win

On Sunday, February 8, Japan is holding early parliamentary elections amid record snowfall. This was reported by the agency Reuters.

Japanese voters trudge through the snow to cast their ballots in an election that is predicted to bring the incumbent prime minister Sanae Takaichi a convincing victory.

Record snowfalls in some parts of the country paralyzed traffic and could have reduced turnout.

According to multiple opinion polls, the conservative coalition of Takayichi, the country's first female leader, is on track to win about 300 of the 465 seats in the lower house, a significant increase from the 233 seats it currently holds.

Outside a polling station in a small town in central Niigata Prefecture, where snow cover exceeded two meters in some places, teacher Kazushige Cho, 54, said that despite the weather, he was determined to vote for the Liberal Democratic Party of Takayichi.

the 64-year-old Takayichi, who became prime minister in October 2025 after being elected party leader, called the winter elections to try to capitalize on a wave of personal popularity.

With a straightforward style and a hard-working image that won her support, Abe increased military spending to counter China, which drew the ire of Beijing, and pushed for a sales tax cut, which rattled financial markets.

Younger voters are among the most loyal to Takayichi: according to one recent poll, more than 90% of voters under 30 support her candidacy.

But young people are less likely to vote than older generations, who have long been the backbone of LDP support. On Thursday, Takaichi received the support of the US President Donald Trump this could attract right-wing voters.

If Takayichi loses control of the lower house, she has promised to resign.

Up to 70 cm of snow is forecast in northern Japan, so some voters will have to brave the blizzard to give their verdict on her administration. This is only the third post-war election to be held in February, as elections are usually scheduled in milder months.

Even Tokyo was hit with snow, causing minor traffic disruptions. According to the Japanese Ministry of Transport, as of Sunday morning, 37 rail lines and 58 ferry routes were suspended across the country, and 54 flights were canceled.

• 64-year-old Takayichi became the first woman in Japanese history to headed the government of the country. on October 4, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party elected her as a new a leader.