Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takahichi dissolved the lower house of parliament on Friday, paving the way for early elections to be held on February 8, reports LETA citing AP.
This move is an attempt to leverage her popularity to strengthen the position of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has suffered significant losses in recent years. However, this decision postpones the discussion and voting on the budget aimed at stimulating the struggling economy and addressing the issue of rapidly rising prices.
Sanae Takahichi, elected in October as the first woman to hold the position of Prime Minister of Japan, has been in power for only three months, yet her approval rating is high—around 70%.
The dissolution of the lower house marks the start of a 12-day election campaign, which will officially begin on Tuesday.
The goal of the early elections initiated by Takahichi is to use her popularity to expand the ruling majority in the lower house of parliament.
The Prime Minister adheres to strict conservative views and emphasizes the differences between herself and her centrist predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba.
Takahichi stresses that voters should evaluate her actions in financial policy, further strengthening the armed forces, and tightening immigration policy to make Japan "strong and prosperous."
Although her optimistic and decisive image has garnered high popularity, especially among the youth, the LDP itself lacks trust amid an ongoing political fund scandal.
Many traditional LDP voters are leaning towards new far-right opposition parties, such as the anti-globalist Sanseito.
