TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s prime minister Sanae Takaichi The lower house of parliament was dissolved on Friday, paving the way for a snap election on February 8.

This move is an attempt by the ruling party to regain momentum by capitalizing on her popularity. big loss However, deliberations and votes on the budget, aimed at stimulating the sluggish economy and combating soaring prices, will be delayed.

Takaichi, who was elected as Japan’s first female leader in October, has only been in office for three months, but she has recorded a high approval rating of approximately 70%.

Takaichi also feels that hostility toward China is increasing. Pro-Taiwan statement. and the president of the usa donald trump They have called on him to increase spending on weapons as Washington and Beijing seek military dominance in the region.

The dissolution of the 465-member House of Representatives clears the way for a 12-day election campaign that officially begins on Tuesday. When House of Representatives Speaker Fukushiro Nukaga declared the dissolution, the assembled members of the Diet stood up, shouted “Banzai” three times, and hurried to prepare for the election campaign.

Takaichi aims to win a majority

Takaichi’s early election plan aims to use her popularity to expand the ruling party’s majority in the lower house, which is more powerful in Japan’s bicameral parliament.

The scandal-plagued Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition government enjoy a narrow majority in the more powerful lower house of parliament after losing the 2024 election. The coalition government does not have a majority in the Senate and relies on winning votes from opposition members to pass its agenda.

Opposition leaders criticized Takaichi for delaying the passage of a budget needed for major economic measures.

“I believe that the only option is for the people, who are sovereign, to decide whether or not Sanae Takaichi should be prime minister,” Sanae Takaichi said at a press conference Monday announcing her election plan. “I’m putting my career on the line as prime minister.”

Takaichi, a hardline conservative, wants to emphasize his differences from his centrist predecessor. Shigeru Ishiba.

Takaichi emphasized that voters need to decide on fiscal spending moves, further military buildup, and strict immigration policies to make Japan “strong and prosperous.”

Although the Liberal Democratic Party, which has recovered from a political funding scandal, is unpopular, although its cheerful and decisive image has earned it a high approval rating, especially among young people. Many traditional Liberal Democratic Party voters have shifted to emerging far-right populist opposition parties, including the three anti-globalist parties.

China, Trump, and corruption scandals

Meanwhile, Japan is facing rising tensions with China after Takaichi made comments suggesting Japan could be involved if China takes military action against Taiwan, which China claims as its own island. Enraged, China has stepped up its economic and diplomatic retaliation.

Mr. Takaichi wants more military buildup and spending increases, while Mr. Trump is pressuring Japan to increase its defense spending.