PM Announces Dissolution: Can Takaichi Build A System To Advance Policy Measures? |
Editorial
14:30 JST, January 20, 2026
“I bet my future” on the House of Representatives election. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s declaration of her intention to dissolve the lower house conveys her desire to stabilize her administration’s foundation, to implement measures against rising prices and to strengthen the nation’s defense capabilities.
A dissolution at the start of the ordinary Diet session is a move that surprised everyone. Opposition parties intend to counter it by forming an axis of unity. The Liberal Democratic Party, riding on the high approval rating of the Takaichi Cabinet, was initially seen to have the advantage. But that view may have been too optimistic.
The election will be a critical choice: Will it lead to a stable system for the administration, or trigger a major political change?
At a press conference, Takaichi formally announced her intention to........