Japan to hold early election as Takaichi aims to capitalise on her popularity
Mari Yamaguchi
Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved the lower house of parliament on Friday, paving the way for early elections on February 8.
The move is an attempt to capitalize on his popularity to help the ruling party regain ground after huge losses in recent years, but it will delay parliamentary approval of a budget aimed at reviving a struggling economy and addressing rising prices.
Takaichi, who was elected as Japan’s first female leader in October, has been in office for only three months but has enjoyed a strong approval rating of nearly 70 percent.
The Liberal Democrat Party may still face some challenges from a series of scandals about corruption and the party’s past ties to the Unification Church. But with opposition parties still too divided to pose a serious threat to the LDP, it is unclear whether the new opposition Centrist Reform Alliance can attract moderate voters.
Takaichi has also seen hostility towards China increase since he made statements about Taiwan. As Washington and Beijing seek military superiority in the region, US President Donald Trump wants it to spend more on weapons.
The dissolution of the 465-member House of Representatives paves the way for a 12-day campaign that officially begins Tuesday. When Speaker Fukushiro Nukaga announced dissolution, MPs stood up, shouted banzai – “long live” – three times, and rushed out to prepare to campaign.
majority hope
Takaichi’s early election plan aims to capitalize on his popularity to win a ruling majority in the Lower House, the stronger of Japan’s two-chamber parliament called the National Diet.
The scandal-tainted LDP and its coalition have a slim majority in the lower House after their election loss in 2024. The coalition does not have a majority in the Upper House and is relying on votes from opposition members to pass its agenda.
Opposition leaders criticized Takaichi for delaying the passage of the budget needed to finance basic economic measures.
“I believe the only option is for the people, as sovereign citizens, to decide whether Sanae Takaichi will be prime minister,” he told a news conference Monday as he announced his election plans. “I attribute my career as Prime Minister to this.”
Takaichi, a staunch conservative, wants to highlight his differences with his centrist predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba.
Takaichi emphasizes that voters should consider fiscal spending moves, more military reinforcements and tougher immigration policies to make Japan “strong and prosperous.”
While his cheerful and determined image, strong approval ratings, and personal style have won him fans, the LDP remains very unpopular as it recovers from a political funding scandal. Many traditional LDP voters turned to emerging far-right populist opposition parties such as the anti-globalization Sanseito.
China, Trump and corruption scandals
Meanwhile, Japan has faced rising tensions with China following comments by Takaichi suggesting Japan could step in if China took military action against Taiwan, a self-governing island that Beijing claims as its own. Furious, China stepped up economic and diplomatic revenge.
Takaichi wants to further military build-up and spending increases, while Trump has pressured Japan to spend more on defense.
Divided opposition
Takaichi says he needs authority to implement the policies he agreed to with his new coalition partner, the right-wing Japan Innovation Party (JIP). They reached an agreement in October to pursue goals such as a stronger military, maintaining male-only rule and accelerating the restart of offline nuclear reactors.
Takaichi struck a deal with JIP after the LDP’s long-time ally Komeito, a Buddhist-backed centrist party, left the governing bloc over its ideological views and reluctance to take anti-corruption measures. With the help of the new partner, he won enough votes to become prime minister.
Just in time for the election, Komeito turned to the main liberal-leaning opposition, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, to form the Centrist Reform Alliance.
“Now we have a chance to start the centrist movement,” said Yoshihiko Noda, former prime minister and leader of the Constitutional Democrats.
Speaking at a joint press conference with Komeito’s president, co-leader Tetsuo Saito, Komeito said the new alliance aims to create a diverse, gender-equal and inclusive society with “people-first politics”.
As divisions and conflicts spread around the world and economic inequalities within countries widen, the new group promises a “realistic” security policy and efforts to create a world free of nuclear weapons.
Opposition groups in Japan appear too divided to win an election, and polls for the alliance so far are not encouraging. However, Komeito’s ability to gain votes from the Soka Gakkai sect makes it a force to be reckoned with.
Takaichi’s words
Takaichi is focusing on the economy and trying to appeal to voters with measures to address rising prices and stagnant wages, as well as support for low-income households.
But the security hawk has also vowed to review security and defense policies to further strengthen the military and eliminate arms export restrictions to generate more sales and develop Japan’s defense industry.
His party is also promising tougher immigration rules and restrictions on foreigners living in Japan to combat rising anti-foreign sentiment. Earlier this week, the LDP proposed new immigration policies that include stricter requirements for foreign property owners and a cap on the number of foreigners residing in Japan.
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