Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved parliament yesterday ahead of a snap election on Feb 8, counting on her Cabinet’s high poll numbers to steer her otherwise unpopular ruling party to victory. The speaker of parliament yesterday read out a letter, officially dissolving the lower house as lawmakers shouted the traditional rallying cry of “banzai”. The ruling coalition of Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) has only a slim majority in the powerful lower chamber. Public discontent over rising prices largely contributed to the downfall of Shigeru Ishiba, whom Takaichi succeeded in October. The CDP has joined forces with another party, Komeito, hoping their new Centrist Reform Alliance can draw swing voters away from Takaichi.

Source: The Star January 24, 2026 12:06 UTC