<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The governing coalition of </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/japan" rel="" target="" title="Japanese"><span>Japanese</span></a><span> Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is almost certain to win a single-party majority in a key parliamentary </span><a href="http://9news.com.au/election" rel="" target="" title="election"><span>election</span></a><span>, NHK public television and other major networks say, citing their exit polls.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>NHK said tonight Takaichi's governing coalition led by her Liberal Democratic Party could win more than two-thirds of the 465-seat lower house, the more powerful of the country's two-chamber parliament. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>That's a level that would allow her governing bloc to dominate house committee chairs to steer policy and budget bills.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/south-australia-plane-crash-victims-pilot/74e4c924-8e5f-4e08-adfd-27c66e198f22"><strong><span>'Forever 20': Lucas wasn't meant to be on doomed flight</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The huge jump from the pre-election share could allow Takaichi to make progress on a right-wing agenda that aims to boost Japan's economy and military capabilities as tensions grow with China and she tries to nurture ties with the US.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Takaichi is hugely popular, but the governing Liberal Democratic Party, which has governed Japan for most of the last seven decades, has struggled from funding and religious scandals in recent years. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She called Sunday's early election only after three months in office, hoping to turn that around before her popularity fades.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/world/japan-election-prime-minister-sanae-takaichi-on-path-to-winning-majority-exit-polls-say/6e2a3759-a97b-48fa-a6d2-c35028c8067c" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Popular leader</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ultraconservative Takaichi, who took office as Japan's first female leader in October, pledged to "work, work, work", and her style, which is seen as both playful and tough, has resonated with younger fans.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The opposition, despite the formation of a new centrist alliance and a rising far-right, is seen as too splintered to be a real challenger. The new opposition alliance of LDP's former coalition partner, Buddhist-backed dovish Komeito and the liberal-leaning Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, is projected to sink to half of their combined pre-election share of 167 seats.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Takaichi bet that her LDP party, together with its new partner, the Japan Innovation Party, would secure a majority.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>If the LDP fails to win a majority, "I will step down", she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-news-one-person-dead-multiple-hospitalised-after-medical-episode-at-techno-event/ec3f13d9-2313-4779-93e8-dadc8c94f2f8"><strong><span>Possible mass overdose probed after rave death</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Pushing right-wing policies</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A big win by Takaichi's coalition could mean a significant shift to the right in Japan's security, immigration and other policies, with its right-wing partner, JIP leader Hirofumi Yoshimura, saying his party will serve as an "accelerator".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Japan has recently seen far-right populists gain ground, such as the anti-globalist and surging nationalist party Sanseito. Exit polls projected a multifold gain for Sanseito.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Takaichi has pledged to revise security and defence policies by December to bolster Japan's offensive military capabilities, lifting a ban on weapons exports and moving further away from the country's postwar pacifist principles.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She has been pushing for tougher policies on foreigners, anti-espionage and other measures that resonate with a far-right audience, but ones that experts say could undermine civil rights.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Takaichi also wants to increase defence spending in response to Trump's pressure on Japan to loosen its purse strings.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/road-closures-planned-pro-palestine-rally-ahead-of-israeli-president-isaac-herzog-visit-to-sydney/2c556b55-d43a-47db-8806-f342810e341f" rel="" target="" title=""><strong><span>'Draconian powers': Court fight ahead of visit</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>'Nation splitting policies'</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Though Takaichi said that she's seeking the public's mandate for her "nation splitting policies", she avoided contentious issues such as ways to fund soaring military spending, how to fix diplomatic tension with China and other issues.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In her campaign speeches, Takaichi enthusiastically talked about the need for "proactive" government spending to fund "crisis management investment and growth", such as measures to strengthen economic security, technology and other industries. Takaichi also seeks to push tougher measures on immigration and foreigners, including stricter requirements for foreign property owners and a cap on foreign residents.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The early election after only three months in office "underscores a problematic trend in Japanese politics in which political survival takes priority over substantive policy outcomes," said Masato Kamikubo, a Ritsumeikan University politics professor. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Whenever the government attempts necessary but unpopular reforms ... the next election looms," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><strong><span>Impact of snow and younger voters</span></strong></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The governing party's expected win comes despite uncertainty over the timing of the election. The hastily called election that gave little time for people to prepare invited complaints.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Sunday's vote also coincided with fresh snowfall across the country, including in </span><strong><span>Tokyo</span></strong><span>. Record snowfall in northern Japan over the past few weeks blocked roads and was blamed for dozens of deaths nationwide.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Kazuki Ishihara, 54, said that she voted for the LDP for stability and in hopes for something new under Takaichi.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I have some hope that she could do something" her predecessors could not, Ishihara said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A 50-year-old office worker, Yoshinori Tamada, said that his interest is wages.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I think a lot when I look at my pay slip, and I cast my vote for a party that I believe I can trust in that regard," Tamada said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY: </span></strong></em><em><span>Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></em></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via </span></strong></em><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><em><strong><span> and </span></strong></em><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a><em></em></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by </span></strong></em><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a><em></em></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to </span></strong></em><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a><em></em></li></ul></div></div>