Voting Begins in Japan’s General Election

Voting got under way across Japan on Sunday for a general election. The Liberal Democratic Party, along with its junior coalition partner, the Komeito party, aims to retain a majority in the 465-member House of Representatives, but media polls have indicated they are facing headwinds. In the first general election since 2021, each voter casts two ballots - one to choose a candidate in a single-seat constituency and the other to select a party for proportional representation. The final election results are expected to be clear by early Monday. Japan's New Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba dissolved the lower house on Oct. 9, only eight days after taking office, vowing to restore public trust in politics and forge ahead with key policy initiatives. The 67-year-old premier has pledged to prioritize easing the negative impact of inflation on households, bolstering Japan's defenses against security threats from its neighbors and enhancing regional economies and disaster resilience. Source: Qatar News Agency