Less than 18 months after the last lower house polls, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has thrown Japan into an unexpected political contest by announcing
snap elections. By dissolving the House of Representatives at the start of the parliamentary session, Takaichi has staked her continuation as prime minister on the election outcome and said she intends to seek a fresh mandate from voters, Kyodo News reported. The proposed election will be the first since Takaichi assumed office as Japan's first woman prime minister on October 21. Takaichi is aiming 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, along with the newly formed ruling coalition framework, Kyodo News reported. The snap poll comes after the previous lower house election held in October 2024. Last week, Takaichi had 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. According to senior leaders of the ruling parties, polling is expected on February 8, with the official election campaign beginning on January 27, as reported by Kyodo News. It will also be the first electoral test since her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) entered into a coalition agreement with the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) a day earlier. Under Japan's Constitution, members of the House of Representatives serve four-year terms unless the chamber is dissolved earlier. Also Read: 'Plane Is Packed With Indians': Japanese YouTuber Ikechan In Hot Water Over Racist Post
Why this is a big gamble for Takaichi
Takaichi's administration has faced difficulties 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 in the Diet, making cooperation with opposition parties necessary to pass legislation.
While she is banking on her fiscal policy approach, opposition forces have moved 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 set 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 agency inputs)
