Sanae Takaichi Calls for Snap Election to Strengthen Mandate in Japan

Mon Jan 19 2026 17:48:29 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has announced a snap election, set to take place on February 8. This early election aims to secure a stronger governing mandate amid rising political challenges.

Three months into her tenure, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is dissolving the Japanese Parliament and calling for a snap election aimed at consolidating her political power. With growing challenges from opposition parties and potential pitfalls stemming from her predecessors' recent political declines, Takaichi hopes to strengthen her Liberal Democratic Party's position while navigating domestic and international issues, including military concerns with China.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will dissolve parliament on Friday, paving the way for an election next month that she hopes will give her a stronger mandate to govern.

It was an 'extremely weighty decision' that would 'determine Japan's course together with the people', Takaichi told a news conference. She also told voters to entrust her with running Japan.

The vote to elect the 465 members of the House of Representatives, the lower and more powerful house in Japan, will take place on February 8.

Takaichi and her cabinet have enjoyed high public support since taking office last October.

Her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) currently has 199 seats in the House of Representatives, the most out of any party. The LDP's coalition with the Japan Innovation party has just enough seats for a majority in the lower house.

A protege of former conservative PM Shinzo Abe and self-professed admirer of Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi, Japan's first female leader, is known as the country's 'Iron Lady'.

In December, her cabinet approved a record defense budget of nine trillion yen amid growing concerns over China's military activities in the region.

Takaichi has found herself the target of China's ire since last November, when she made comments suggesting Japan could respond with its own self-defense forces if China attacked Taiwan, resulting in a deterioration of bilateral ties.

Meanwhile, Takaichi has pursued closer ties with the US, marking a significant moment in US-Japan relations.

On domestic policy, she advocates for heavy government-led spending to drive economic growth, mirroring the stimulus measures seen under 'Abenomics'.

Approval ratings for Takaichi's administration are reported to be between 60-80% in various polls. However, her decision to call for a snap election carries significant risks. Takaichi is the fourth PM in five years, and her predecessors faced daunting challenges that led to their political downfall.

The announcement of the Centrist Reform Alliance, a newly formed opposition party, presents additional challenges as it prepares to contest the upcoming election against the LDP.