European scholars have called on the Japanese government to ensure consistency in its statements about wartime history, irrespective of the outcome of Sunday's election.
They have also said Japan should take the lead in settling historical disputes with China and South Korea to prevent such issues from being used for political purposes.
While opinion polls show Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's ruling coalition has an overwhelming chance of winning re-election, improving relations with Beijing and Seoul will continue to be a top foreign policy priority. Next year marks the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II and the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between Japan and South Korea.