Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi officially announced the dissolution of Japan's House of Representatives to prepare for a general election set for 8 February 2026, aiming to seek public endorsement to advance economic and security policies with the new coalition government allies.
This dissolution is a historic event, marking the first time in 60 years that parliament has been dissolved at the start of an ordinary session. Takaichi's cabinet approved the plan to dissolve all 465 seats this morning (23 Jan).
Although the members' terms are not due to expire until 2028, Prime Minister Takaichi said she needs to gain direct public trust since she took office last October and there was a political shift as the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) joined with the Japan Innovation Party to form a new coalition government that same month.
The main campaign issue is expected to be "inflation management," with both the government and opposition proposing similar ideas, such as exempting or reducing consumer taxes on food items to ease household living costs. However, disputes over funding sources to offset lost revenue will be closely watched.
Additionally, this election will see new political alignments: on the ruling side, the LDP teams with the Japan Innovation Party, while the opposition unites under the "Centrist Reform Alliance," led by the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) and Komeito, a former LDP ally for 26 years.
Scheduling the election only 16 days after dissolution is the shortest post-war period in Japan’s history, drawing criticism that voters have too little time to study policies. The opposition also accuses the prime minister of prioritizing political power over passing the 2026 fiscal budget, set to begin in April.
Despite Prime Minister Takaichi’s still-high approval ratings, the coalition currently holds only a slim majority in the House of Representatives and is in the minority in the upper house. This election is a crucial test of whether she can secure decisive power to pass key legislation as planned.