Japan PM Takaichi's party poised for landslide victory, Asahi poll shows

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's party is likely to score ‌a landslide victory in next week's lower house election, a survey by the ⁠Asahi newspaper showed. A strong showing in Sunday's election would solidify Takaichi's grip on her party and give her a ​mandate for her expansionary fiscal policy, which could heighten ‍concerns about Japan's finances and push bond yields higher.

Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party is likely to well exceed a majority of 233 ⁠seats out ‌of 465 ⁠seats up for grabs in the lower house, according to Asahi's ‍poll released on Sunday. That would be an increase from ​198 seats now. Together with LDP's coalition partner, the ⁠Japan Innovation Party or Ishin, the ruling alliance will likely reach ⁠300 seats, the poll showed.

The largest opposition party, the Centrist Reform Alliance, is struggling and could lose ⁠half its 167 seats, the Asahi said. Takaichi's ruling coalition currently ⁠holds ‌a slim majority in the powerful lower house but has a minority in the ⁠upper house.