Overview
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi conveyed her plan to dissolve the House of Representatives shortly after the Diet convenes on Jan. 23, according to ruling party executives.
- LDP Secretary-General Shun'ichi Suzuki said she will announce the specific dissolution and election timetable at a Jan. 19 news conference.
- If dissolution follows the session’s start, official campaigning could begin Jan. 27 or Feb. 3, with voting likely on Feb. 8 or Feb. 15.
- Japan’s Internal Affairs Ministry has instructed local election commissions to prepare for a compressed schedule that could be the shortest in the postwar era.
- Opposition parties criticized the timing over potential delays to the fiscal 2026 budget and are coordinating strategy, including talks toward forming a new party.