Japan braces for 70cm of snow and -23C cold snap ahead of snap election

This is Japan’s first lower house election held in the winter in 36 years

Japan is bracing for heavy snowstorms and extreme cold that authorities warn could affect campaigning and voter turnout just days before the country heads to its first mid-winter general election in more than three decades.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has forecast snowfall of up to 70cm in parts of the Hokuriku region and 60cm in the Kansai area by Friday, with temperatures plunging to as low as -23C in the northern districts.

The fresh snowfall comes less than two weeks before voters head to the polls on 8 February. This is Japan’s first lower house election held in winter in 36 years.

Officials have warned of transport disruptions, avalanches, and power outages, raising concerns about access to polling stations and the ability of election officials to safely conduct voting.

The election was called by prime minister Sanae Takaichi less than four months after she took office, as she seeks to strengthen her mandate and stabilise a fragile governing coalition.

Polls suggest her Liberal Democratic Party is on course to remain the largest force in parliament, but officials and analysts have warned that severe winter weather could depress turnout, particularly in rural and snowbound regions that traditionally play a decisive role in Japanese elections.

A person walks past a bulletin board for posters of candidates for the February 8 snap election, where snow has accumulated, in Fukui, Japan (via REUTERS)

Temperatures have already plunged well below freezing in northern Japan. In Hokkaido, the town of Rikubetsu recorded a low of -22.9C this week, according to local media, as snow continued to disrupt daily life and election preparations.

Last week’s storms brought parts of Hokkaido to a standstill, stranding thousands of passengers overnight at the island’s main airport after dozens of flights were cancelled.

Ten people have died in weather-related incidents over the past week, according to public broadcaster NHK.

Weather conditions are already complicating preparations in snowbound regions. In Fukui and Aomori prefectures, election billboards displaying candidates’ posters have been buried under snow, while some municipalities have reduced the number of official signboards because conventional installation sites are inaccessible, local media reported.

Voters listen to a party leader's speech at a House of Representatives election rally held in a snow-covered venue in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture (JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images)

In Sapporo, where 54cm of snow fell in a single day, the highest January total on record, campaign teams said flyers and campaign vehicles were delayed due to transport disruption, with some warning that candidates may struggle to begin campaigning on schedule.

Campaign workers were shovelling snow at their offices. “An election at this time of year is just too much to handle,” a 59-year-old secretary for a candidate in Aomori Constituency told The Japan News.

Officials in Fukushima prefecture have adjusted voting hours in several towns, delaying the opening of polling stations to allow time for snow clearance and bringing forward closing times to ensure ballot boxes can be transported safely, according to The Japan Times.

Ms Takaichi acknowledged that her decision to call a snap election could prove challenging for voters in snowbound regions.

“For those in snowy regions in particular, I am truly grateful for the considerable effort it will take to reach the polling stations, as there may be challenging conditions underfoot,” she told reporters last week.