More Polling Stations to Close Early in Japan Election; Overal Number of Voting Locations Down from 2024

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:21 JST, February 4, 2026

Voting will end earlier than the usual 8 p.m. at 18,537 polling stations for Sunday’s House of Representatives election, the Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry has announced.

As a result, polling stations with shorter voting times will increase by 724 locations compared to the 2024 lower house election.

In Aomori Prefecture, there will be 182 such polling stations, up 102 from the 2024 election. In Niigata Prefecture, there will be 673, an increase of 68. Many of these stations are in northern Japan, which is experiencing heavy snowfall.

The Public Offices Election Law allows voting stations to close up to four hours early if certain conditions are met. In recent years, more locations have closed early to reduce the burden on local government staff that are handling ballot counting.

In the upcoming election, the government is said to have considered the fact that it is the first to be conducted in midwinter in 36 years.

The ministry announced on Tuesday that there will be 44,642 polling stations on election day, down 787 from the 2024 lower house election. Polling stations are decreasing particularly in rural areas, due to factors including depopulation.

Conversely, the number of stations for early voting increased by 155 to 6,548, a new record high.