Heavy snowfall in Japan forced some polling places to close early, fueling concerns about the impact to voter turnout, reported The New York Times. Yoshihiko Noda, a leader of the CRA, raised concerns about peoples' ability to vote, warning that "not being able to do so is a denial of democracy."

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi won a sweeping mandate from voters for her economic agenda and tough stances on immigration and China.

By Leika Kihara and John Geddie TOKYO, Feb 9 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is set to be pressed on her promised tax cuts and spending plans on Monday after a historic election win was seen heightening the chances of her delivering on stimulus measures that have rattled financial markets.

T AKAICHI SANAE gambled her position as Japan’s prime minister by calling a snap election. Her bet has paid off. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) triumphed on February

Sanae Takaichi, who has proved popular as the first woman to lead Japan as prime minister, was on course for a sweeping mandate after a snap election on Sunday.

Japanese stocks swept to record peaks while bonds slid and the yen sagged to an all-time low against the Swiss franc after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi scored a landslide win in Sunday's snap election.

In Japan, it is customary to mark a candidate's win with a paper flower. When a candidate is officially declared the winner, a red paper rose is placed on that row in the board. Keep checking for late

The government said that about 40 percent of all polling stations closed earlier than planned because of heavy snow on Sunday.