Midwinter Japan Election Raises Concerns Over Turnout; Officials Urge Active Utilization of Early Voting

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:25 JST, January 27, 2026

The ongoing House of Representatives election is facing the first midwinter campaign in 36 years, raising concerns over how snow and freezing temperatures will impact already declining voter turnout.

Turnout for the previous lower house election in 2024 stood at 53.85% in single-seat constituencies. This is the third-lowest in the postwar era, after the record low of 52.66% in 2014 and 53.68% in 2017.

A postwar high of 76.99% was recorded in 1958, the first showdown between the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Socialist Party under the so-called 1955 system, in which conservatives and reformists were locked in a fierce rivalry.

In recent years, turnout has remained stagnant in the early 50% range.

Unlike elections held in October or December since 2014, this race is taking place in midwinter conditions. Massive amounts of snow continue to accumulate along the Sea of Japan side.

There have been two previous February elections, one in 1955 with a turnout of 75.84% and another in 1990 with a turnout of 73.31%. Those years saw no significant decline, but some observers suggest that the harsh snow and cold, combined with the recent downward trend in voter participation, could further keep voters away from the polls this time.

The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry and local election administration commissions are calling for the active use of early voting.

The ministry has also formed a specialized task force to encourage municipalities to implement measures such as deploying vehicle-based mobile early polling stations and providing transportation assistance to help voters reach the polls on election day.

In addition to the weather, the short interval of only about 15 months since the last election is also a source of concern. Officials are on high alert that voter interest may remain low.