Japan’s Takaichi Says She Will Dissolve Lower House, Setting up Snap Election (UPDATE2)

The Japan News

18:01 JST, January 19, 2026

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday announced that she will dissolve the House of Representatives on Jan. 23 at the beginning of the regular Diet session, setting up an early election.

Takaichi explained the reasons for her decision, saying, “Why now? I thought there’s no other way but to let voters decide if I should stay on as a prime minister.”

“Currently, the president of the Liberal Democratic Party, which doesn’t hold a majority in either the upper or lower house, is sitting in the prime minister’s seat,” she said. “I chose this path to ascertain the will of the voters.”

The official campaigning will start on Jan. 27, with the voting taking place on Feb. 8.