Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has dissolved the lower house of Parliament, paving the way for a Feb. 8 snap electionJapanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, center in blue jacket, bows and other lawmakers cheer after dissolving the lower house, during an extraordinary Diet session at the lower house of parliament Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)TOKYO -- Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved the lower house of Parliament on Friday, paving the way for a Feb. 8 snap election. The dissolution of the 465-member lower house paves the way for a 12-day campaign that officially starts Tuesday. The scandal-tainted LDP and its coalition had a slim majority in the more lower house after an election loss in 2024. “Now is our chance to start the centrist movement,” said Yoshihiko Noda, a former prime minister and leader of the Constitutional Democrats.

Source: ABC News January 23, 2026 21:26 UTC