February 8, 2026 sees Japanese and Thai voters head to the polls as political leaders in both countries seek to shape their nation's respective political direction for the next four years.

In Japan the general election, called just weeks ago by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, is to choose members of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the National Diet. This contest comes as the incumbent government bids to solidify its parliamentary majority and reinforce its political mandate.

Prime Minister Takaichi, Japan’s first female premier and leader of the long-dominant Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), stands at the centre of the campaign. Relatively unorthodox for her party in terms of personal style and public rapport, she has galvanised attention with a mix of traditional conservative policies and savvy outreach that is resonating with younger voters in particular. Takaichi has pledged to make Japan both more prosperous and safer, emphasising stricter immigration screening to counter increasing issues with foreign nationals and bolstered national security.

Still aged just 64 – young by Japanese PM standards - and with firm ties to conservative elements of the party thanks to her years as an understudy of the late PM Shinzo Abe, her policy stances on traditional social values represent continuity with Japan’s post-war political orthodoxy. Under Takaichi, detractors say her leadership evokes the old-guard factional politics that have characterised Japanese governance for decades, most of it under LDP rule, albeit wrapped now in a somewhat modern public persona.

Opinion polls ahead of voting suggest that her ruling coalition – the LDP backed by the newer Japan Innovation Party – will likely secure a commanding majority in the lower house, with projections indicating well over half of the 465 seats could be won, and with it potentially a two-thirds majority. This would more than serve to strengthen Takaichi’s hand in setting policy and legislation.

Poll data in the lead-up to election day show the LDP expanding its lead, with around 36 – 40% support at the national level and a notable advantage in single-constituency races. By contrast, opposition groups such as the Centrist Reform Alliance hovered below the 15% mark in recent surveys, with a significant share of voters still undecided until the final days.

Thailand’s bid for political stability

On the very same day, Thailand holds its own general election as voters in the Kingdom look to fill all 500 seats in its House of Representatives. A referendum on whether to draft a new charter will also be held with the question being posed to the Thai electorate taking part whether or not they approve of the drafting of a new constitution to replace the current one adopted in 2017.

But Thailand’s political scene has been dominated for decades by families and individual figures representing these families and their networks are deeply embedded in the country’s modern history. It is this issue that will likely sway the most voters. The most recognisable on the international stage has been the broader Shinawatra political dynasty, whose influence has weathered coups, court rulings, and the never-ending ebb and flow of popularity in Thailand. Although the formerly dominant Pheu Thai Party - the latest heir to that legacy - is now only polling at a fraction of its former strength, the name recognition of Thaksin Shinawatra and his family’s presence still looms large in Thai political consciousness.

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, head of the Bhumjaithai Party and himself an old-school political operator with longstanding ties to Thailand’s establishment, dissolved the parliament and called an early election following months of political turbulence and a brief territorial conflict with neighbouring Cambodia. His strategy has been to lean into nationalist sentiment fuelled by recent border skirmishes, though a number of polls suggest his party currently trails behind the reformist People’s Party in overall support.

Recent surveys indicate a highly competitive field without a clear single-party majority. The People’s Party, a successor to previously dissolved reformist movements, has been projected as the leading force with between 29 and 34% support shaking up what had long been a traditional two-way struggle.

The Pheu Thai Party, although historically dominant and associated with the Shinawatra dynasty, has struggled to regain its previous centrality in the face of sometimes scandalous leadership changes and legal setbacks, and is now polling well behind both the People’s Party and Bhumjaithai.

Key to whichever party comes out on top will be the opinion of the general public on who they trust to help the nation navigate economic concerns including household debt and export competitiveness. Nearly half of respondents in some surveys have listed the economy as their foremost concern.

Any results from Thailand or Japan are still at least 12 hours away. Polling stations in Japan traditionally open early in the morning at 7 a.m. and remain open for 13 hours. In Thailand, polling runs from 8 a.m. to 5p.m. with counting beginning immediately thereafter. Unofficial results are expected to start emerging in the early evening in both countries.