Overview
- LDP Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki said Sanae Takaichi told party leaders she will dissolve the lower house soon after the Diet opens on Jan. 23 and will outline details at a Jan. 19 news conference.
- Officials are steering toward a Feb. 8 vote with campaigning from Jan. 27 under the LDP–Japan Innovation Party partnership, yielding a record-short 16-day run-up if preparations allow.
- An early vote would likely delay enactment of the fiscal 2026 budget beyond March 31, and the government is considering a temporary stopgap to keep funding flowing.
- Opposition parties are accelerating coordination, with the CDPJ and Komeito discussing a joint centrist vehicle and possible withdrawals in single-seat districts so Komeito can back CDPJ candidates.
- Reports of a snap poll tied to expanded spending and higher defence outlays have pressured the yen and Japanese government bonds as investors reassess fiscal risks.