Sanae Takaichi’s hardworking persona and social-media savvy are resonating with younger people ahead of the country’s election.

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is seeking to leverage her popularity to help her party win Sunday’s snap election as she pushes her right-wing agenda to boost her country's economy and military capabilities in the face growing tensions with

The party has right-wing social views: it calls the second world war the “Greater East Asian War”, adopting the nomenclature of the wartime regime, and has submitted a bill to criminalise desecration of Japan’s flag (an idea also favoured by Takaichi Sanae,

Japan braces for more heavy snow over the weekend as Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency reports at least 45 deaths and over 500 snow-related injuries since January 20.

As of Wednesday, 15 prefectures have been affected, with snow reaching up to 2 meters (6.5 feet) in worst-hit areas. The unusually heavy snowfall is largely due to a cold air mass from the Arctic that has lingered over the Japanese archipelago.

Residents have been warned about possible avalanches in the northern parts of Japan following two weeks of snowfall

Japan's first female premier has called snap elections for Sunday. She seeks a mandate for what could be sweeping changes and possibly a lurch to the political right.

U.S. President Donald Trump gave his "total endorsement" of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ahead of a snap election in her country on Sunday and announced plans to meet with her at the White House on March 19.

Snowfall in parts of Japan has also left about 200 people injured. One city recorded 72 inches of snow, the highest in almost 40 years.

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is calling a snap election Sunday, counting on her unusual popularity among fans who see the hardline conservative as someone who speaks her mind and can bring change.