Overview
- Prime Minister Sanae Takachi is reported to be weighing dissolving the lower house at the Diet’s Jan. 23 opening, prompting accelerated election planning across parties.
- CDP leader Yoshihiko Noda met Komeito chief Tetsuo Saito and formally requested cooperation for the next general election, with both leaders agreeing to pursue higher-level coordination.
- The parties tasked senior officials with ironing out specifics, and Saito said there were no discussions about withdrawing candidates in overlapping single-seat districts.
- Komeito is moving to decide whether to field candidates in single-seat constituencies and whether those candidates should also run on proportional lists.
- If dissolution occurs on Jan. 23, current members’ tenure would total 454 days, reported as the third-shortest under the current constitution.