Japan PM Takaichi calls snap election three months after taking office
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the country’s first female leader since October 2025, announced on January 19, 2026, her plan to dissolve parliament’s lower house on January 23, triggering a snap general election on February 8. This bold move, just three months into her tenure, aims to secure a public mandate for her conservative agenda amid high approval ratings and tensions with China over Taiwan.
Takaichi leads the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and seeks to strengthen her position after winning party leadership, despite the party’s history of instability with four prime ministers in five years. Analysts note risks, as a poor LDP performance could cost her the premiership, similar to her predecessor’s snap election setback.
She cited the need for voters to judge her fitness as leader, pushing policies like increased defense spending, economic stimulus, and fiscal strategies that have unsettled markets. The election contests all 465 House of Representatives seats, testing her hawkish stance on security.
