Predicted Typhoon going to be a deciding factor for Japan’s election on Sunday

NewsBharati 20-Oct-2017

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Tokyo, October 20: The lower house election of Japan is scheduled on 22^nd October Sunday. On that same day, a typhoon is expected to hit the country. It is being feared that the typhoon may affect the voter’s turnout heavily. Due to weather forecasts Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also urged voters to cast their votes early.

"It's rare to see typhoon rains over such a large swathe of the Japanese archipelago in October," Eiju Takahashi, an official with the Japan Meteorological Agency, told. The northern island of Hokkaido may not receive rain only.

Already the number of voter’s turnout declined in last elections of Japan. Last election’s turn-out rate was 52.66%. A political-scientist of Japan has predicted if it rains on Sunday, the turnout rate will not rise and that would benefit the ruling bloc.

The Liberal Democratic Party, the ruling one in Japan needs a two-thirds majority to carry out the proposed change in Constitution. An analyst said if turnout remains low LDP will be able to maintain two third majorities.

The key factor is not rain but the amount of rain. "If it is cloudy or there is light drizzle, turnout may rise as families may abstain from outings ... but if rains heavily, it could weigh on the turnout rate," the analyst Hidenori Suezawa said.

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