Addressing a press conference, Takaichi said she intends to seek a fresh mandate from voters and has staked her continuation as PM on the election outcome. According to senior leaders of the ruling parties, the polling is expected to be held on February 8
The upcoming election will be the first since Sanae Takaichi assumed office as Japan's first woman PM on October 21. File pic
Japanese Prime Minister (PM) Sanae Takaichi on Monday announced the dissolution of the House of Representatives, the Lower House of the National Diet, setting the stage for a snap general election on the opening day of the current ordinary parliamentary session, news agency ANI reported, citing Kyodo News.
The decision to dissolve the Lower House was taken on Friday.
Addressing a press conference, Takaichi said she intends to seek a fresh mandate from voters and has staked her continuation as prime minister on the election outcome, ANI reported.
According to senior leaders of the ruling parties, the polling is expected to be held on February 8, with the official election campaign starting on January 27, Kyodo News reported.
The upcoming election will be the first since Takaichi assumed office as Japan's first woman prime minister on October 21. It is also the first electoral test since her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) entered into a coalition agreement with the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) just a day earlier.
Takaichi aims to leverage her Cabinet's strong approval ratings to secure public backing for what she has described as a "responsible yet aggressive" fiscal policy approach, alongside the newly formed ruling coalition framework, ANI reported, citing Kyodo News.
Snap election called less than 18 months after last poll as Takaichi faces narrow majority
The snap poll comes less than 18 months after the previous Lower House Election in October 2024. Under Japan's Constitution, members of the House of Representatives serve four-year terms unless the chamber is dissolved earlier.
Last week, Takaichi informed senior ruling party figures of her intention to dissolve the Lower House "at an early stage" after the 150-day regular Diet session convenes next Friday, Kyodo News reported.
Her administration has faced challenges in managing Parliament, as the LDP-led bloc holds only a narrow majority in the Lower House and lacks a majority in the House of Councillors, the Upper House of the Diet, making cooperation with opposition parties necessary to pass legislation.
Meanwhile, Opposition forces are moving to consolidate ahead of the election. The Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and Komeito, a former long-time LDP ally, agreed on Thursday to form the Centrist Reform Alliance, which is expected to become the largest Opposition grouping in the contest, Kyodo News reported.
Opposition parties have criticised Takaichi's decision to call an early election, accusing her of prioritising political calculations over the passage of the fiscal 2026 initial budget, despite her stated commitment to focus on policy implementation.
(With ANI inputs)
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