TOKYO – Japanese voters headed to the polls Sunday in a parliamentary election that is expected to reaffirm the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s majority, though many analysts were predicting a record low turnout.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called Sunday’s snap election for the lower house, saying he wanted a fresh mandate for his economic program and other policies. Abe said he would step down if the Liberal Democrats fail to obtain an outright majority, but weakness among opposition parties makes that unlikely.
Abe took office two years ago promising to revive the stagnant economy and restore Japan’s fading stature. Since then, share prices have risen, and many companies have reported record profits, as the Japanese yen has weakened in value, thanks to aggressive monetary easing. But the economy fell back into recession after a sales tax hike in April.
A landslide victory in this election could improve Abe’s chances of pushing ahead with ambitious economic and political reforms – with or without the Liberal Democrats’ coalition partner, the Buddhist-backed Komei Party.
“This is the only way!” is the slogan Abe has driven home in his campaign speeches, and for voters, this likely is to be true.
Despite sliding popularity ratings, the recession and messy campaign finance scandals, Abe virtually is the only game in town because of Japan’s tendency toward a one-party political system, voter apathy and a lack of viable alternatives.
Polls show that many voters, fed up with or indifferent to the choices on offer, support no party in particular, so Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party may win by default.
The main opposition Democratic Party of Japan was in power for three years from 2009 to 2012, but lost voters’ confidence amid perceptions of ineptitude after failing to deliver on campaign pledges and struggling to guide the country after the 2011 earthquake, nuclear disasters and tsunamis.
Heavy snow in northern Japan – the top news Sunday morning – also could adversely affect turnout.
