Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Calls Snap Election

Last updated: January 21, 2026 3:48 pm

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Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Calls Snap Election

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (C) answers a question during a session of the House of Councillors Budget Committee at the National Diet in Tokyo on Nov. 12, 2025. Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has called a snap election for the lower house of parliament, saying she wanted voters to decide whether to entrust her new coalition government with far-reaching changes to Japan’s economic, fiscal, and security policies.

“I have decided to dissolve the House of Representatives on January 23,” Takaichi said during a press conference on Jan. 19.