Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi may be moving closer to calling an early general election, according to the leader of her coalition partner, following reports that a snap vote could be held as early as February.
Hirofumi Yoshimura, head of the Japan Innovation Party, said on Sunday that recent discussions with Takaichi suggested her thinking on election timing had entered what he described as a new phase. His remarks came after domestic media reported the prime minister was weighing a February election.
An early election could allow Takaichi, Japan’s first woman prime minister, to seek a fresh mandate while public support remains high just months after she took office in October.
Speaking to public broadcaster NHK, Yoshimura said he met Takaichi on Friday and sensed a shift in her approach to election timing.
“I would not be surprised if she made the decision as reported by the media,” Yoshimura said, responding to a report by the Yomiuri newspaper that cited government sources saying a general election was being considered for February 8 or February 15.
He added that while election timing was discussed broadly, the two leaders did not talk about specific dates.
Takaichi has enjoyed strong approval ratings since assuming office, helped by her tough rhetoric on China and promises of aggressive public spending to support the economy. Her stance has resonated with conservative voters but has also fueled diplomatic tensions with Beijing.
Calling an early election could help her consolidate power within the ruling bloc before economic pressures and foreign policy disputes begin to weigh more heavily on public opinion, according to political analysts.
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Takaichi avoided confirming any election plans during an NHK interview recorded Thursday and broadcast Sunday. Instead, she emphasized near term economic priorities.
She said she had instructed cabinet ministers to focus on the execution of the current fiscal year’s supplementary budget and to secure parliamentary approval for the budget beginning in April.
“At present, I am concentrating on the immediate task of making sure people feel the benefits of our stimulus measures aimed at easing the impact of inflation,” Takaichi said during the interview.
Japan’s lower house must hold elections by late 2026, giving the prime minister wide discretion over timing. If Takaichi calls a snap election, it would mark her first major political test since taking office and could reshape the balance of power in Tokyo.
