Tokyo, Oct. 27 (Jiji Press)–Voting began Sunday morning in a closely watched general election in Japan, with keen attention paid to whether the Liberal Democratic Party and its Komeito ally will maintain or lose their combined majority in the House of Representatives at a time when the LDP has been rocked by a major political fund scandal.

Polling stations set up at facilities including school gyms opened their doors to voters at 7 am Voting is set to end at 8 pm Rough results are expected to become available late at night.

Issues related to money and politics are the biggest focus in the election in the wake of the high-profile slush fund scandal at the LDP, headed by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who took office Oct. 1.

In the 12-day campaign period through Saturday for the first general election since October 2021 for the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, Japan’s parliament, candidates discussed the advisability of abolishing so-called policy activity funds and other measures related to political reform , alongside economic, foreign and security policies.

On top of the slush fund scandal, it has been revealed that the LDP gave 20 million yen each to branches headed by candidates who were denied official endorsement from the party in the election due to their involvement in the slush fund scandal.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]