TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Friday dissolved the House of Representatives and announced a snap general election to be held on February 8, seeking public support for her economic and security policy agenda, Kyodo News reported.
The 465-member lower house was dissolved by Takaichi’s cabinet during the early hours of the regular parliamentary session.
This is the first time this has happened at the start of a regular session in almost 60 years.
The decision effectively launched a short and intense election campaign.
Although the current term of lawmakers was set to expire in 2023, Takaichi defended her decision by stating that she has not yet received a direct public mandate for her leadership.
She became prime minister in October, the same month her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) formed a new ruling coalition with the Japan Innovation Party.
The election will also see the debut of a new opposition grouping. The Centrist Reform Alliance was recently launched by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Komeito party, which had been the LDP’s coalition partner for 26 years.