Polling stations opened across the country at 7:00am (2200 GMT Saturday) with voters battling high winds and driving rain as an election-day typhoon barrelled towards Japan. "I support Abe's stance not to give in to North Korea's pressure," one voter, Yoshihisa Iemori, said as he cast his ballot in Tokyo. "When North Korea is purposefully threatening us and increasing tension, we must not waver," an animated Abe stressed at his final campaign rally. POPULARITYObservers say North Korea's sabre-rattling has helped Abe, 63, as voters tend to plump for the incumbent at times of heightened tension. ECONOMYKoike herself was not even in Japan on election day, choosing to visit Paris for an event in her capacity as Tokyo Governor.

Source: Daily Nation October 22, 2017 03:45 UTC