Japan's PM Takaichi Plans Snap Election Gamble to Bolster Fragile Majority

The move conveyed to senior ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) members comes at a time when Takaichi's cabinet enjoys a high approval rating, raising hopes that an early election could improve her fragile political standing, considering the ruling coalition has a razor-thin majority in the lower house, Japan's Kyodo News reported.

On Tuesday, the Japanese government, during a meeting of senior members of the steering committees of the lower house and the House of Councillors, informed the ruling and opposition parties that the ordinary Diet session will be convened on January 23

If the lower house is dissolved on January 23, the official campaign for the general election may begin on January 27 or February 3, with voting possibly on February 9 or February 15, respectively. According to a source, Takaichi is expected to announce her decision soon, Kyodo News reported.

This would be the first general election that will be held under Takaichi's leadership. She assumed office as Japan's first female Prime Minister in October last year, forming an alliance with the Japan Innovation Party after the Komeito party ended its coalition partnership with the LDP due to the latter's handling of a fundraising scandal.

Although there are over two years left before the four-year term of current lower house members expires, Takaichi seems to have chosen to take a gamble to gain people's support for her commitment to build a "robust" economy through expansionary spending and for her hawkish security policies.

A former television anchor, Takaichi entered Japanese politics in 1993, winning a seat in the Lower House as an independent. The 64-year-old lawmaker currently represents her home prefecture of Nara.

Takaichi joined Japan's LDP in 1996 and entered the Cabinet for the first time under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. She held the position of the Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs. Later, she went on to become the first woman to chair the LDP's Policy Research Council.

From 2022 to 2024, Takaichi was Japan's Economic Security Minister. She also holds the record as the longest-serving Minister for Internal Affairs, a post she held in several tenures.

Takaichi, a prominent voice of the LDP's conservative wing and advocating its causes for a long time, was elected as the leader of the LDP after receiving 185 votes. She defeated Shinjiro Shinjiro, who garnered 156 votes in a runoff after none of the five candidates in the party leadership race secured a majority in the initial round of voting.

- IANS