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| Japan election: Voting in Shinzo Abe's snap poll | |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Millions of Japanese people are voting in a snap election called by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to boost support for his economic reforms. | |
| Voters will be choosing who sits in the 475-seat lower house of Japan's parliament, the Diet. | Voters will be choosing who sits in the 475-seat lower house of Japan's parliament, the Diet. |
| Recent surveys show Mr Abe's coalition is likely to win a majority, even though his popularity has dipped. | Recent surveys show Mr Abe's coalition is likely to win a majority, even though his popularity has dipped. |
| Mr Abe was elected in 2012 and has tried to revive the economy by raising public spending and printing money. | |
| After an initial burst of growth, Japan slipped back into recession in the second half of this year. | After an initial burst of growth, Japan slipped back into recession in the second half of this year. |
| Japan is the third-largest economy in the world, according to the World Bank, but it has struggled in recent years. | |
| However, Mr Abe has insisted that his policies, known as "Abenomics", can get Japan back on track. | However, Mr Abe has insisted that his policies, known as "Abenomics", can get Japan back on track. |
| "I promise to make Japan a country that can shine again at the centre of the world," he said in a recent campaign speech. | "I promise to make Japan a country that can shine again at the centre of the world," he said in a recent campaign speech. |
| He has vowed to help more Japanese women enter and remain in employment by tightening anti-discrimination laws and setting employment targets. | |
| He has also promised to amend the law to allow the Japanese military to engage in collective self-defence alongside allies who are threatened. | |
| Economists say an increase in sales tax from 5% to 8% in April knocked consumer spending and helped to halt growth. | Economists say an increase in sales tax from 5% to 8% in April knocked consumer spending and helped to halt growth. |
| The tax increase was legislated by the previous government in 2012 to curb Japan's huge public debt, which is the highest among developed nations. | The tax increase was legislated by the previous government in 2012 to curb Japan's huge public debt, which is the highest among developed nations. |
| Mr Abe called the election to seek a mandate to delay a second increase in the tax to 10%, scheduled for 2015. | Mr Abe called the election to seek a mandate to delay a second increase in the tax to 10%, scheduled for 2015. |
| Several surveys in recent weeks have pointed to a win for Mr Abe's Liberal Democratic Party. | Several surveys in recent weeks have pointed to a win for Mr Abe's Liberal Democratic Party. |
| Observers say this is partly due to the lack of a real political alternative, with the opposition in disarray. | Observers say this is partly due to the lack of a real political alternative, with the opposition in disarray. |
| The Banri Kaieda-led opposition Democratic Party is expected to pick up a handful of seats, but not enough to affect the parliamentary balance. | |
| A total of 1,191 candidates are competing for 475 seats |