Japan’s PM Sanae Takaichi calls early poll, asks voters if she’s ‘fit’ to lead

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi

The outcome of the election could determine whether Takaichi gets the political backing needed to advance higher spending plans at a time when households across Japan are feeling the pinch.

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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday announced her decision to dissolve parliament and call a snap general election, seeking a fresh public mandate to push through her policy agenda.

“Today, I, as the Prime Minister, have decided to dissolve the lower house on January 23,” Takaichi said at a news conference.

The move will trigger elections for all 465 seats in Japan’s powerful lower house and mark Takaichi’s first major electoral test since she became the country’s first female prime minister in October. She said the election would give voters a chance to judge her leadership, adding that she wants to ask the public if she is “fit” to be premier.

By calling an early election, Takaichi is aiming to capitalise on her current popularity, strengthen her position within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and stabilise her coalition’s slim majority in parliament.

The snap vote is also expected to centre on economic pressures, with rising prices emerging as the biggest concern for Japanese voters. According to a recent poll by public broadcaster NHK, 45% of respondents cited the cost of living as their top worry, while 16% pointed to diplomacy and national security.

The outcome of the election could determine whether Takaichi gets the political backing needed to advance higher spending plans at a time when households across Japan are feeling the pinch.