Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans to dissolve the powerful lower house of parliament as early as this month and call early elections to secure voter support for her agenda while keeping her approval ratings high, a senior party official said.
The Associated Press reported that the move would allow Takaichi to seek new support for her economic and security priorities at a time when her scandal-tainted party and a new coalition partner have only a slim majority in Japan’s legislature.
Takaichi made history in October when she was elected Japan’s first female prime minister.
Takaichi has been described by some Japanese and international media as an ultra-conservative, hard-line figure. He supported strengthening Japan’s defense position, emerged as a vocal China hawk and backed constitutional revisions to expand the role of the Self-Defense Forces.
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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, whose warnings about a crisis in Taiwan have angered Beijing, in Tokyo, Japan. October 21, 2025. (Eugene Hoshiko/AP Photo)
By calling early elections, Takaichi could benefit from approval ratings of around 70% and help her Liberal Democratic Party gain additional seats in parliament.
Shunichi Suzuki, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, told reporters that Takaichi informed him and other senior officials of her intention to dissolve the lower house “soon” after the Jan. 23 meeting.
Suzuki said no date has been set for dissolving the chamber or holding early elections, adding that Takaichi plans to outline her strategy at a news conference on Monday.
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Former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election in Tokyo, October 4, 2025. (Kim Kyung-Hoon/Pool photo via AP)
Takaichi’s scandal-plagued LDP and its coalition have only a slim majority in the lower house, the more powerful chamber of parliament, after losses in the 2024 election.
By voting early, Takaichi appears to be aiming to expand her party’s seat share and strengthen its position alongside a new junior coalition partner.
Opposition lawmakers criticized the plan as self-serving and said it would delay the urgent parliamentary debate on the national budget, which needs to be approved quickly.
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President Donald Trump, along with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, speak with members of the military aboard the USS George Washington in Yokosuka, October 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Following Suzuki’s comments, media reports say Takaichi plans to dissolve the lower house on January 23, the opening day of this year’s regular parliamentary session, potentially paving the way for early elections as early as February 8.
Takaichi is seeking voter support for her agenda, including “proactive” budget spending and an accelerated military buildup under a new coalition with the Japan Innovation Party, Suzuki said.
The conservative Japan Innovation Party joined the ruling bloc after the centrist Komeito Party withdrew, citing disagreements over Takaichi’s ideological positions and her approach to anti-corruption reforms.
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Takaichi met with Suzuki and other coalition leaders on Wednesday after talks in Nara with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at a summit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties. The meetings came as she faces rising trade and political tensions with China following comments about Taiwan that angered Beijing just days after she took office.
Winning a snap election would also make it easier for Takaichi and her governing bloc to pass a budget and advance other legislation.
Her cabinet approved a record 122.3 trillion yen ($770 billion) budget in late December, which parliament must clear before the budget year begins in April. The plan includes measures to combat inflation, support low-income households and stimulate economic growth.
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Known for her hawkish and nationalist views and her ultra-conservative positions on social issues including gender and sexual diversity, Takaichi is trying to win back conservative voters who have been drawn to emerging populist parties in recent elections.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
