TOKYO, Jan 29 (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party is likely to increase seats and gain a majority in the lower house in a general election on February 8, a preliminary survey by the Nikkei newspaper showed on Thursday.
Takaichi called the snap general election to seek a mandate to gear up her expansionary fiscal policy, a move that triggered a spike in bond yields on market concerns Japan may be forced to issue additional debt.
While still early in the race, the LDP is gaining momentum and likely to see its seats exceed the 233 majority of 465 up for grabs in the lower house, up from 198 seats it holds before the election, the Nikkei said.
The LDP currently forms a ruling coalition with the Japan Innovation Party, or Ishin, which together narrowly hold a majority in the powerful lower house. It is a minority in the upper house.
The survey combined the paper’s reporting and findings of a poll conducted jointly with the Yomiuri newspaper on January 27-28, the Nikkei said.
(Reporting by Leika Kihara; Editing by Jamie Freed)
