Japan’s first female PM eyes early election to cement mandate

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is preparing to dissolve the lower house of Parliament to trigger a snap election aimed at securing a public mandate for her policy agenda, US media quoted a senior party official on January 14.

Takaichi, who became Japan’s first female prime minister in October, is widely seen as attempting to capitalise on her still-robust approval ratings of around 70 per cent to help the struggling governing bloc strengthen its position in Parliament.

Shunichi Suzuki, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), told reporters that Takaichi informed him and other senior officials of her intention to dissolve the lower house “soon” after it convenes on January 23. Suzuki did not specify the dissolution or election dates, adding that Takaichi will outline her plan during a news conference next Monday.

The LDP-led coalition, weakened by scandals and a poor showing in the 2024 election, currently holds only a slim majority in the lower house, the more influential of Japan’s two chambers. By calling an early election, Takaichi appears determined to secure a larger share of seats for the LDP and its new junior coalition partner.

Opposition parties criticised the move as politically opportunistic, warning that it would delay urgent deliberations on the national budget. Japanese media have reported that Takaichi intends to dissolve the lower house on January 23, opening the way for an election as early as February 8.

According to Suzuki, Takaichi hopes to win voter approval for her policy priorities, including expansive fiscal spending and an acceleration of Japan’s ongoing military buildup under the coalition with the Japan Innovation Party (JIP). The conservative JIP joined the ruling bloc after the centrist Komeito withdrew, citing disagreements over Takaichi’s ideological positions and anti-corruption proposals.

Takaichi met with Suzuki and other coalition leaders after returning from Nara, where she held talks with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung at a summit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties. The meeting came amid mounting trade and political friction with China, inflamed by Takaichi’s remark about Taiwan shortly after taking office.

A renewed electoral mandate would also ease the passage of the government’s budget and other key legislation. In late December, her Cabinet approved a record 122.3 trillion yen ($770 billion) budget for the next fiscal year, which begins in April, to fund anti-inflation measures, support low-income households, and sustain economic growth initiatives.

Takaichi, known for her hawkish, nationalist worldview and socially conservative positions, aims to regain support from right-leaning voters increasingly drawn to rising populist movements. Although the LDP has brought several independents into the coalition to secure a narrow majority in the lower house, it remains a minority in the upper chamber.

By Tamilla Hasanova