Millions of Japanese braved typhoon conditions on Sunday for a snap election likely to hand Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a fresh mandate to revive the world’s third-largest economy and press his hardline stance on North Korea.
If pre-election surveys prove correct, Mr. Abe’s conservative coalition will cruise to a crushing majority to win a fresh term at the helm of the key US regional ally and Asian economic powerhouse.
Polling stations opened across the country at 7:00 am (2200 GMT Saturday) with voters battling high winds and driving rain as an election-day typhoon barrelled towards Japan.
Analysts say that if the weather affects turnout, it is likely to benefit Mr. Abe, whose conservative voters are more determined, putting the nationalist blueblood on course to become the country’s longest-serving leader.
