How do Japanese elections work?

Donning my “Be prepared” hat with this one …

Japan PM might just call a snap election for December (more here) … so if he does, here is some background on how the election process works in Japan.

Its from an ungated Wall Street Journal article: Explainer: How Do Japanese Elections Work?

Q: What’s the lineup in parliament now?

The majority coalition is comprised of Mr. Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party with 294 seats and Komeito, a party backed by religious group Soka Gakkai, with 31 seats. Major opposition parties include the Democratic Party of Japan, plus affiliated independents, with 55 seats and Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto’s Japan Innovation Party with 42 seats.

Q: When does the campaign start?

A: Officially, campaigns start 12 days before the election, but lawmakers are already gearing up for battle. Likely dates for election within the year include Dec. 14th or Dec. 21, depending on a number of different timelines.

More at the link