Millions of Japanese voters are heading to the polls in a snap election called by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to boost support for his economic reforms.
Voters will be choosing who sits in the 475-seat lower house of Japan's parliament, the Diet.
Recent surveys show Mr Abe's coalition is likely to win a majority, even though his popularity has dipped.
Mr Abe was elected in 2012 and tried to revive the economy by increasing public spending and printing more money.
After an initial burst of growth, Japan slipped back into recession in the second half of this year.
However, Mr Abe has insisted that his policies, known as 'Abenomics', can get Japan back on track.
'I promise to make Japan a country that can shine again at the centre of the world,' he said in a recent campaign speech.
Economists say an increase in sales tax from 5% to 8% in April knocked consumer spending and helped to halt growth.
The tax increase was legislated by the previous government in 2012 to curb Japan's huge public debt, which is the highest among developed nations.
Mr Abe called the election to seek a mandate to delay a second increase in the tax to 10%, scheduled for 2015.
Several surveys in recent weeks have pointed to a win for Mr Abe's Liberal Democratic Party.
Observers say this is partly due to the lack of a real political alternative, with the opposition in disarray.
Entities 0 Name: Abe Count: 5 1 Name: Japan Count: 5 2 Name: Liberal Democratic Party Count: 1 3 Name: Shinzo Abe Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1An1QuY Title: As economy slides, Japan waits for good times Description: TESHIMA ISLAND, Japan - Megumi Fujisaki makes good money managing a trendy restaurant in one of Japan's most popular tourist spots. But she's not spending it - and that's bad news for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic policies. "Taxes and prices are going up, and I'm not comfortable spending money when that happens," says Fujisaki, 34.
