Tokyo, Jan 13 (NationPress) Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is planning to dissolve the House of Representatives to call for a snap election coinciding with the commencement of the regular Diet session, which is set to begin on January 23, according to reports from local media citing a knowledgeable source.

This announcement, shared with senior members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), comes as Takaichi's administration enjoys a favorable approval rating. This situation raises the prospect that an early election could bolster her precarious political standing, especially since the governing coalition holds a slim majority in the lower house, as reported by Kyodo News.

During a meeting of senior members from the steering committees of both the lower house and the House of Councillors, the government informed both ruling and opposition parties that the ordinary Diet session will commence on January 23.

If the lower house is dissolved on this date, the official campaign for the general election might kick off on either January 27 or February 3, with voting potentially taking place on February 9 or February 15, respectively. Reports suggest that Takaichi is expected to make a formal announcement soon, as per Kyodo News.

This upcoming election would mark the first general election under Takaichi's leadership, who became Japan's first female Prime Minister in October of the previous year. She formed a coalition with the Japan Innovation Party following the Komeito party's withdrawal from its coalition with the LDP, linked to issues surrounding a fundraising scandal.

Despite there being more than two years remaining in the current four-year term for lower house members, Takaichi appears to be taking a strategic risk to secure public support for her commitment to establishing a strong economy through expansive spending and her assertive security policies.

A former television anchor, Takaichi entered the political arena in 1993, winning a seat in the Lower House as an independent candidate. The 64-year-old now represents her home prefecture of Nara.

She joined the LDP in 1996 and was appointed to the Cabinet for the first time under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, serving as the Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs. Subsequently, she became the first woman to chair the LDP's Policy Research Council.

From 2022 to 2024, Takaichi served as Japan’s Minister of Economic Security and holds the record for the longest tenure as Minister for Internal Affairs, a position she has occupied several times.

As a significant figure within the LDP's conservative faction, Takaichi was elected as the party leader after receiving 185 votes. She triumphed over Shinjiro, who secured 156 votes in a runoff after none of the five candidates achieved a majority in the initial voting round.