5 Things to Know About Japan's Election

Japan goes to the polls Sunday to choose half of the 242 seats in the upper house of parliament, with implications for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s agenda in coming years. Here are five things to know.

#1: Balance of Power

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party could achieve an outright majority on its own in the upper house, which would give it a single-party majority in both houses for the first time since 1989. The LDP-led coalition, which includes the Komeito party, could also achieve a two-thirds majority–or super-majority–in the upper house, a feat it has already attained in the more powerful lower chamber.

#2: It's Not About the Economy

People are willing to forgive Mr. Abe for not fulfilling his promise to revitalize Japan’s economy. Growth has been sporadic during his 3 1/2 years in office. Only 38% of people in a recent Nikkei survey said they approved of “Abenomics,” Mr. Abe’s signature economic policy. Most Japanese say it has had little impact on their lives.

#3: Path to Constitutional Revision?

Two-thirds majorities in both houses of parliament would in theory give the LDP-led coalition enough votes to achieve Mr. Abe’s dream of revising the U.S.-written constitution, including removing restrictions on Japan’s military. However, the grassroots base of coalition partner Komeito opposes such revision, and opinion polls show most Japanese remain cool to the idea.

#4: New Voting Age

Sunday’s election will be the first in which 18- and 19-year olds will be permitted to vote, increasing the number of eligible voters by about 2.4 million. Though turnout among young people tends to be low, political parties will be keen to see how well they did with this new group.

#5: Communism Lives

The Japanese Communist Party appears poised for another red-letter day. The party, which advocates scrapping both capitalism and Japan’s security treaty with the U.S., also gained ground in the December 2014 lower house election, picking up 13 seats for a total of 21. A poll by the Nikkei newspaper projected that the Communists would win seven to 15 seats Sunday.