Japan’s ‘extremely unreasonable’ election timing threatens to keep young voters away

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has come under fire for deciding to hold Sunday’s general election during the peak university entrance exam season, with critics saying it has placed an additional burden on students.Takaichi’s abrupt announcement last month to dissolve the House of Representatives has also been questioned, as it will be the first time since 1990 that a lower house election is taking place in February, when some regions experience heavy snowfall.The prime minister has urged students to make use of early voting, but Toshiko Takeya, leader of the Komeito party, a former coalition partner of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said the burden on examinees would be heavy, calling Takaichi’s move “extremely unreasonable”.In Japan, voting rights extend to people who will turn 18 on the day after polling day, meaning many third-year high school students preparing for entrance exams are allowed to vote even if they are still 17 on election day.Yoshihiko Noda, co-leader of the Centrist Reform Alliance, delivers a speech during a campaign rally in Tokyo on Sunday. Photo: Jiji Press/AFPOn social media, negative posts have surfaced, with a user saying: “Please don’t add unnecessary burdens on students facing entrance exams.”