Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a press conference at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on January 19, 2026

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi speaks during a press conference at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo on January 19, 2026

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will dissolve parliament on Friday ahead of a snap election on February 8, counting on her cabinet's high poll numbers to steer her otherwise unpopular ruling party to victory.

The country's first woman leader announced on Monday that she planned to dissolve the lower house, seeking public backing for measures to shield households from rising living costs and increase spending on defence.

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