The election was called three days after Shigeru Ishiba, the new leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, was elected as new leader, before he was officially sworn in as prime minister.
It comes after a tumultuous few years for the Liberal Democratic Party, which has seen a series of scandals, widespread voter apathy and record low approval ratings.
The party’s approval rating fell below 20% early this year due to a political funding corruption scandal.
But the opposition parties have failed to unite and convince voters that they are a viable option to govern.
Before the National Assembly was dissolved, the approval rating of the main opposition party was only 6.6%.
Miyuki Fujisaki, a long-time Liberal Democratic Party supporter who works in the care home sector, told the BBC ahead of the poll opening: “I think people are losing interest because it’s so difficult to make a decision to choose a party.”
She said the Liberal Democratic Party has problems with corruption allegations, but “the opposition party is also completely invisible.”
“They certainly complain a lot, but it’s not at all clear what they want,” the 66-year-old said.
Despite all the indifference, Japanese politics have been moving at a rapid pace in recent months.
Shigeru Ishiba took over the position of prime minister through a vote by the ruling party after his predecessor, Fumio Kishida, who had been serving as prime minister since 2021, suddenly decided to resign last August.
The move to call an election comes as the Liberal Democratic Party is desperate to repair its tarnished image among the public. Mr. Ishiba, a long-time Minister of Defense, described this as “the people’s verdict.”
A series of scandals have damaged the reputation of the ruling party. Chief among them is the party’s relationship with the controversial Unification Church, which critics describe as a “heresy,” and the level of influence it has had on lawmakers.
Subsequently, the political funding corruption scandal was exposed. Japanese prosecutors have been investigating dozens of Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers on suspicion of embezzling proceeds from political fundraising events. These multi-million dollar claims led to the dismantling of a powerful force that was the backbone of internal party politics.
Michiko Hamada, who went to Urawa Station on the outskirts of Tokyo for an opposition rally, said, “The ruling party’s condition is truly miserable.”
“That’s how I feel most. “This is tax evasion and is unforgivable.”
