Overview
- Multiple reports say the prime minister is considering dissolving the House on January 23, with a final decision expected after meetings with the South Korean president and Italy’s prime minister this week.
- The Liberal Democratic Party was instructed to accelerate candidate nominations in preparation for a possible February election.
- CDP leader Yoshihiko Noda and Komeito leader Tetsuo Saito met on January 12 and agreed to examine concrete forms of cooperation for the next lower-house race.
- Saito said Komeito will decide whether to field candidates in single-seat districts and, if it does, whether to use dual candidacy with the proportional list.
- National Democratic Party leader Yuichiro Tamaki criticized the potential use of an Article 7 dissolution and urged rulemaking, noting a January 23 move would leave current lawmakers with 454 days in office, the third-shortest under the present constitution.