TOKYO -- Voters go to the polls Sunday to vote for members of the lower house of the Diet, in Japan's first general election since the voting age was lowered from 20 to 18.
Although Japan's economy is doing fairly well at the moment, the future looks murky. Voters head to the polls amid uncertainty, as both policymakers and citizens face the challenge of a shrinking, aging population. These demographic shifts will require a more productive economy if living standards are to rise. Bread-and-butter issues will figure prominently in voters' choices on Sunday.