Japanese voters are casting their ballots in parliamentary elections that are expected to deliver a landslide victory for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s conservative coalition.

Sunday’s emergency vote comes as the city seeks new authority to push through an ambitious agenda that includes increased defense spending and tougher immigration measures.

According to multiple opinion polls, a coalition of Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japan Reform Party (Ishin) could win more than 300 of the 465 seats in the lower house.

That number would be a significant increase from the 233 it is defending.

Despite the formation of new centrist coalitions and the rise of the far right, the opposition is seen as too fragmented to be a serious challenger.

Takaichi, 64, is Japan’s first female prime minister, taking office in October after being selected as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party. The ultra-conservative politician promised “jobs, jobs, jobs” and her style – seen as playful yet tough – resonated with young voters.

She said she would step down if the Liberal Democrats failed to win a majority.

The cost of living became a central issue in the Gao City election campaign. The issue is top of mind for voters, with rising prices and real wage growth lagging inflation leading to worsening household conditions.

Japan also faces the long-standing problem of weak economic growth. The economy grew by just 1.1% last year and is expected to grow by just 0.7% in 2026, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The city has pledged to suspend the 8% food sales tax for two years to help households cope with rising prices.

This comes after Japan last year approved its largest economic stimulus package since the COVID-19 pandemic, injecting 21.3 trillion yen ($136 billion) into the economy, focusing on cost-of-living relief measures including energy bill subsidies, cash handouts and food stamps.

Takaichi pledged to revise security and defense policies by December to bolster Japan’s offensive military capabilities, lift a ban on arms exports and move further away from the country’s postwar pacifist principles.

Takaichi has created a wave on social media, mainly among young voters, a phenomenon known as “sanakatsu” for the products she uses, such as her handbags and the pink pen she uses when writing in parliament.

In a recent poll, her approval rating exceeded 90% among respondents under the age of 30. However, this group of young people is less likely to vote than the older generations who have long been the bedrock of LDP support.

Al Jazeera’s Patrick Ho, reporting from Tokyo, said the high school freshman hopes to capitalize on her “tremendous popularity” to win a landslide victory for her alliance.

“This result – if indeed it turns out to be the case – would mark a truly remarkable turnaround for the LDP. Just a few months ago it was a party in disarray. It lost its parliamentary majority and was embroiled in a bribery scandal. So this turnaround has been largely orchestrated by Gao Yi and what some say is an almost cult-like popularity,” Huo said.

Sunday’s vote comes amid record snowfall in parts of the country. Up to 70 centimeters (27.5 inches) of snow is expected in the north and east, forcing some voters to brave the blizzard to cast their votes.

The vote was only the third post-war election to be held in February, with polls typically held during the milder months.

Hawke said the snow could affect voter turnout, but there was “no indication it would affect the outcome.”

“Many people feel that the opposition is not offering anything substantively different. Perhaps they believe that Koichi’s economic agenda will drive the country in the long term. She has a growth-oriented strategy. She wants to develop industries such as artificial intelligence and semiconductors, and accelerate defense spending. Voters may be betting that this will unlock the key to stagnant wage growth in this country, and in turn combat the rising inflation they experience here,” he added.

Voters on Sunday will elect MPs in 289 single-seat constituencies, with the remaining constituencies decided through party-based proportional representation voting. Voting closes at 8pm local time (11:00 GMT) and broadcasters are expected to issue forecasts based on exit polls.