Japanese Prime Minister plans to dissolve parliament and call elections

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaiči plans to dissolve parliament next week and call early parliamentary elections, Shunichi Suzuki, secretary-general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), said on Wednesday. "We need to seek a new mandate," Suzuki told reporters after meeting with the prime minister.

According to a source familiar with the matter, Takaichi is considering February 8 as the election date.

The Yomiuri newspaper previously wrote that if the elections take place, parliament will likely not be able to approve the budget for fiscal year 2026 by the end of the current fiscal year in March.

According to the media, the prime minister is therefore considering a provisional budget, as she has promised to take measures against inflation as soon as possible.

(reuters, lud)