Rice gaffe haunts ex-farm minister Eto on campaign trail https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/05/japan/politics/japan-lower-house-election-miyazaki/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #2026lowerhouseelection #miyazaki #takueto #agriculture #rice
Despite little debate on the matter during campaigning, attention is being paid to the fact that parties in favor of constitutional changes may secure two-thirds of Lower House seats, making major revisions possible. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/05/japan/politics/constitutional-revisions-key-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #sdf #constitution #2026lowerhouseelection #nipponishinnokai #dpp #cra #jcp #reiwashinsengumi #sanaetakaichi
Several parties are taking a hard-line stance in relation to foreign residents in Japan ahead of the country’s general election, including by proposing population caps. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/05/japan/politics/foreigner-measures-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #diet #expats #immigration #livinginjapan #nationality #foreignworkers #nipponishinnokai #sanseito #cra #2026lowerhouseelection
Investors are positioning for a decisive election victory by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, betting that a strong mandate will allow her to consolidate power and push expansive fiscal policies. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/02/05/markets/stock-bets-on-big-takaichi-win/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #markets #stocks #japaneseeconomy #sanaetakaichi #2026lowerhouseelection
A video message from Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, posted on YouTube by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, has garnered over 100 million views — a rarity for a political video. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/05/japan/politics/takaichi-video-message/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #2026lowerhouseelection #youtube #ldp #socialmedia
Ever since Japan’s Lower House election campaigning kicked off late last month, one question has lingered in the minds of many: Where will Komeito’s votes go? https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/05/japan/politics/reportage-hyogo-8-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #cra #ldp #nipponishinnokai #hyogo #amagasaki #2026lowerhouseelection
Japan's foreign exchange fund special account is attracting attention as a possible source of funding for consumption tax reduction or elimination proposed by many parties ahead of Sunday’s general election. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/business/2026/02/04/economy/forex-fund-special-account-tax-cuts/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #business #economy #forex #currencies #taxes #2026lowerhouseelection #bonds
Team Mirai — a small, 9-month-old party — could win more seats in Sunday’s general election than its more established peers such as the Japanese Communist Party and Reiwa Shinsengumi, the results of a weekend poll show. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/04/japan/politics/team-mirai-takahiro-anno/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #teammirai #takahiroanno #ai #2026lowerhouseelection
The intense competition faced by Centrist Reform Alliance heavyweights in districts where they have enjoyed solid support for decades shows just how much of an uphill battle Sunday’s election is for the fledgling party. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/04/japan/politics/cra-veterans-tight-race/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #yukioedano #ichiroozawa #junazumi #koichihagiuda #2026lowerhouseelection #cra
The new opposition centrist force that was supposed to upend Japan’s political calculus isn’t gaining any ground. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/04/japan/how-unpredictable-is-the-snap-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #ldp #cdp #komeito #cra #dpp #sanseito #jip #china #us #indopacific #eastasia #senkakus #xijinping #sanaetakaichi #2026lowerhouseelection #nipponishinnokai #diet
In the runup to Sunday's general election, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appears to be avoiding discussing a proposed reduction in the number of House of Representatives seats. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/04/japan/politics/lower-house-seats-cut-plan/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #ldp #nipponishinnokai #lowerhouse #2026lowerhouseelection #diet
Koichi Hagiuda, an LDP executive who is running in the Tokyo No. 24 constituency, is seeking to fully re-emerge from the party's high-profile slush fund scandal with an election victory. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/04/japan/politics/lower-house-election-tokyo-koichi-hagiuda/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #2026lowerhouseelection #koichihagiuda #ldp #politicalfunds #tokyo #komeito #hachioji
Three months into being Japan’s first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi is connecting with younger voters in a way her predecessors never achieved. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/04/japan/politics/sanae-takaichi-young-voters/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #ldp #socialmedia #2026lowerhouseelection
The Japanese parties that best navigate the shortened campaign period will cement their place in the new political landscape. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/04/japan/cheat-sheet-for-japans-snap-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #sanaetakaichi #ldp #cra #jip #2026lowerhouseelection #sanseito #dpp #diet
Electoral candidates in a Hokkaido district are braving the cold to get their messages out before the Feb. 8 election. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/03/japan/politics/hokkaido-4-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #cra #ldp #sanseito #cdp #komeito #hokkaido #2026lowerhouseelection #sanaetakaichi #nuclearenergy #energy #restarts
Japan’s Feb. 8 snap election is less about short-term politics than a pivotal choice among competing coalition paths that will determine whether the country can adapt its domestic politics to shifting voter behavior. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2026/02/03/japan/where-japan-goes-from-here/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #ldp #jip #cdp #komeito #cra #dpp #sanseito #china #unitedstates #indopacific #eastasia #senkakuislands #xijinping #sanaetakaichi #2026lowerhouseelection
Despite being coalition partners, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party are facing off against each other in all 19 single-seat constituencies of Osaka Prefecture in Sunday’s general election. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/03/japan/politics/japan-lower-house-election-osaka-ldp-jip/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #2026lowerhouseelection #osaka #ldp #jip #komeito
A total of 4,562,823 people cast early ballots for the Feb. 8 Lower House election between Wednesday and Sunday of last week, accounting for 4.41% of all registered voters. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/03/japan/politics/vote-people-number-early-election/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #internalaffairsministry #2026lowerhouseelection #snow
As policies related to foreign nationals take focus in the upcoming election, some are calling for improvements to Japanese language education for the children of foreign residents. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/03/japan/politics/election-japanese-language-education-improvement/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #language #education #mext #2026lowerhouseelection #children
The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party could secure a two-thirds majority in the Feb. 8 Lower House election, according to an opinion poll conducted over the weekend. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/02/japan/politics/opinion-polls-2026-elections/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #sanaetakaichi #ldp #cra #nipponishinnokai #2026lowerhouseelection