Complicated procedures involved in overseas voting have been cited as a reason why the turnout among Japanese citizens living abroad has typically been low, but from this year, Japanese expatriates have been able to register on the overseas electoral roll online via diplomatic establishments.
Although registrations can be completed online, in order to cast ballots, Japanese citizens living abroad still have to vote via post, in person at an overseas diplomatic mission, or return to Japan, prompting calls for the introduction of online ballots.
Sota Kato, a student at the University of Hohenheim in southwestern Germany, completed his electoral registration online via the Japanese consulate general in Munich on June 22. "The process was pretty quick," said Kato, 24.
