Japan is heading to polls in a key test for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba

Japanese voters turned to the ballot box on Sunday in strictly contested elections against the background of public impotence about rising prices and the immediate threat of US tariffs.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior coalition partner Komeito must provide combined 50 seats in order to preserve a common majority in the above house, but the most polls show that they may not reach.

These elections come at a difficult time for Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and his ruling coalition when US President Donald Trump increases the pressure on Tokyo during strenuous tariffs.

The Japanese large -scale automotive industry, which represents eight percent of jobs in the country, is diverging from the painful levies that are already available.

Weak export data last week feared that the world’s fourth largest economy could target a technical recession.

Although Ishiba provided an early meeting with Trump in February and sends his salesman with Washington seven times, no agreement has been reached.

For voters, dealing with price increases is also central care.

The price of rice, the main food for Japanese households, has almost doubled since last year.

In the last few months, the government had to join its emergency stocks to deal with the shortage.

From last year’s elections for a lower chamber, in which the coalition does not reach the majority, LDP has failed to regain the confidence of voters who are dissatisfied with stagnant salaries and ruthless inflation.

Meanwhile, the populist party Sanseito, which uses social media to attract more young voters, is watching a jump in popularity.

The polls show that its “Japanese first” slogan has hit a chord with some conservatives, although his firm position on foreigners has drawn criticism.

The party wants “stricter rules and restrictions” of immigration, opposes “globalism” and “radical” gender policies and wants rethinking decarbonisation and vaccines.

If Ishiba’s ruling coalition fails to provide 50 seats, it will lose a majority in both parliament’s palaces, which can threaten its leadership and lead to political instability.

The Ishiba’s River Party has ruled Japan almost continuously since 1955, though with frequent changes to the leader.

The last time LDP and Komeito failed to win a majority in the upper house was in 2010, already falling below the threshold in 2007.

This was followed by a rare change of government in 2009, when Japan’s already non -existent Democratic Party ruled a rock for three years.