An 18-year-old high school student Wednesday cast the first early vote in the House of Representatives election, which is open to those ages 18 and 19 for the first time.
Natsuki Nakagawa was at the head of the queue outside a polling station in Mino, Osaka Prefecture, when it opened at 6:30 a.m., the earliest to do so in the country.
A third-year student at a prefectural high school, Nakagawa said a practice exam will keep her away from the polls when general voting takes place on Oct. 22.