Japan Election: Rising Costs Dominate as Voters Seek Relief Amid Stagnant Wages

• Rising living costs and stagnant wages are the primary concerns for Japanese voters ahead of Sunday's general election.
• Inflation-adjusted wages fell for the 11th consecutive month, with food prices, especially rice, surging significantly.
• PM Sanae Takaichi's LDP coalition faces the Centrist Reform Alliance, with Takaichi promising to suspend consumption tax on food for two years.
• Takaichi's economic proposals, including a large stimulus package, raise concerns about fiscal sustainability given Japan's high debt-to-GDP ratio.
• Opinion polls project a decisive victory for the ruling LDP coalition, despite voter frustration and criticism over the snap election.