Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that over 4.5 million people have cast early votes in the first five days of the House of Representatives election, despite a slight decline caused by adverse weather and delayed delivery of voter ID cards. They emphasized that eligibility can be verified immediately via the database without presenting election cards to ease the voting process.
Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications released statistics on early voting for the upcoming House of Representatives election scheduled for 8 Feb. From Wednesday to Sunday (28 Jan - 1 Feb), a total of 4,562,823 people voted early, representing 4.41% of all registered voters.
However, this figure declined by 2.54% compared to the significant 2024 election, during which around 4.68 million voters participated in the same period.
A major factor behind reduced turnout in some areas was "heavy snowstorms," especially in the Hokkaido, Tohoku, and Hokuriku regions. Tottori Prefecture saw the steepest drop at 42.5%, followed by Toyama (down 30.68%) and Aomori (down 26.41%).
Conversely, some locations experienced clear increases in early voting, such as Gifu Prefecture (up 28.60%) and Nara Prefecture (up 22.95%).
Another significant issue was the "delayed delivery of election cards" due to the dissolution of parliament and election announcement occurring only 16 days prior, causing late distribution of voter confirmation cards to residences. Many areas in Tokyo are expected to receive cards on or after 2 Feb.
Ministry officials noted that despite delays, early voter turnout did not significantly drop because the public was informed they could vote without election cards by filling out a form confirming their name, address, and date of birth, allowing officials to verify records in the resident database.
Early voting is available at government offices and designated department stores until 7 Feb, one day before the official election day, except in certain areas where variations apply.
Yukio Ishida, senior official of the Suginami Ward Election Commission, told NHK that the ward does not require presentation of ID cards to save time and reduce queues. He said, "Complicated procedures might discourage voters, so we want the public to be assured that even without receiving an election card at home, they can come in and vote immediately."
An 85-year-old woman casting her vote said she understood the delay in election cards due to the emergency situation. Another woman in her 70s admitted initial concerns about voting without a card but was impressed and pleased that the identity verification process was simple and fast, allowing her to fulfill her civic duty.
. . .NHK The Japan Times