Party Leaders Debate Ahead of Lower House Election; Heated Exchanges Seen over Lower House Dissolution, Tax Cuts

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:27 JST, January 26, 2026

The leaders of seven political parties took part in a policy debate organized by the Japan National Press Club in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on Monday ahead of the official campaign period for the Feb. 8 general election starting Tuesday.

The participants were Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who also serves as LDP president; Yoshihiko Noda, coleader of the Centrist Reform Alliance; Fumitake Fujita, coleader of the Japan Innovation Party; Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People; Sohei Kamiya, leader of the Sanseito; Tomoko Tamura, chairperson of the Japanese Communist Party; and Akiko Oishi, coleader of Reiwa Shinsengumi.

The debate consisted of two parts: a discussion among the party leaders followed by questions from the media.

The event was punctuated by heated exchanges over the prime minister’s decision to dissolve the House of Representatives at the start of the ordinary Diet session and over consumption tax cuts proposed by each party.