Polls opened across Japan on Sunday as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi seeks a decisive victory in parliamentary elections to strengthen her grip on power and push through a conservative reform agenda.

Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister who took office in October, remains highly popular with voters. However, her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has struggled with public support, prompting her to call a snap election in hopes of securing a stronger mandate.

She aims to revive Japan’s economy, expand military capabilities and take a firmer stance amid rising tensions with China, while maintaining close ties with the United States and President Donald Trump.

Campaigning under the slogan “work, work, work,” the ultraconservative leader has attracted younger supporters with a leadership style seen as both energetic and tough.

Opinion polls suggest the LDP, together with its new ally, the Japan Innovation Party, is on track to win a comfortable majority in the powerful 465-seat lower house. Some surveys indicate the coalition could secure up to 300 seats, a sharp rise from its slim majority following losses in the 2024 election.

Takaichi has said she would step down if her party fails to win a majority.

A strong win could signal a major shift to the right in Japan’s policies on security, immigration and defense. Takaichi has pledged to revise defense rules by December, including lifting restrictions on weapons exports and boosting Japan’s military capabilities, moving further away from its postwar pacifist stance.

She has also pushed for tougher immigration controls, stricter rules for foreign residents and property owners, and stronger anti-espionage laws — proposals that critics warn could undermine civil liberties.

Meanwhile, record snowfall in northern Japan in recent weeks has blocked roads and caused dozens of deaths, raising concerns that voting and vote counting may be disrupted in some affected areas.