Overview
- The government formally set the February 8 vote and urged a fair contest, voter participation, and strict political neutrality by public servants.
- Advance ballots opened in Hokkaido on January 28 with 230 locations operating on day one as municipalities activate early voting arrangements.
- Spring wage negotiations launched with Keidanren and Rengo aligning on pursuing another year of high pay hikes, making real income gains a central election issue.
- The Kobe District Court’s Amagasaki branch ordered NHK Party leader Takashi Tachibana to pay ¥3.3 million for spreading false claims, calling the conduct malicious and distorting to voter judgment.
- The Sendai High Court cut a refund tied to spending at an event linked to the former Unification Church to ¥11,616, while local governments cancel events and reassign staff to support polling and vote counts.