Voting has ended in Japan’s snap lower house election, and early projections show a strong win for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The election result is expected to give her a clear and stable mandate to lead the country.

Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, called the election just four months after taking charge of the party. She wanted public support to strengthen her leadership. The projected outcome marks a major comeback for the LDP. The party had earlier lost its parliamentary majority under her two previous leaders due to corruption controversies and rising living costs.

Exit polls show comfortable majority

Exit poll data suggests the ruling party will tighten its control over the lower house. Public broadcaster NHK reported that the LDP is likely to win between 274 and 328 of the 465 seats. This is well above the 233 seats needed for a majority.

Along with its junior coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, the ruling alliance could secure between 302 and 366 seats in total. This would give the government strong stability in parliament.

The election took place during freezing temperatures and heavy snowfall in several parts of the country. Many see the projected victory as early public approval of Takaichi’s leadership. She had earlier promised to step down if her coalition failed to win a simple majority.

Economic concerns remain

Even with a strong showing, Takaichi faces several challenges ahead. Critics are closely watching how she handles public finances and manages tensions with China, especially over the Taiwan issue.

During the election campaign, she tried to attract voters by announcing a $135 billion stimulus package to ease pressure from rising living costs. She also promised to suspend the 8 percent consumption tax on food for two years. This decision is expected to reduce annual government revenue by around ¥5 trillion.

Her spending plans made financial markets uneasy and caused fluctuations in the currency. Many critics questioned the strategy because Japan’s public debt is more than twice its GDP, the highest among developed countries.

Foreign policy stance draws attention

On the international front, Takaichi’s earlier comments on Taiwan created tensions with China. Last year, she suggested that Japan could become militarily involved if China tried to invade Taiwan. This led to a strong reaction from Beijing.

China later issued advisories discouraging tourism and study in Japan. This move affected cultural exchanges and effectively ended decades of “panda diplomacy” between the two countries.

However, her tough stance appears to have appealed to many voters in Japan and may have helped the LDP secure a projected landslide victory.