Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi may call an early general election, the head of her party's coalition partner, Hirofumi Yoshimura, said on Sunday, after media reported she was considering a February vote.
The developing situation around Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi potentially calling an early general election — what it means politically, economically, diplomatically, and for Japan’s domestic landscape. --- Japan’s Political Crossroads: Sanae Takaichi and the Prospect of a Snap General Election In a significant development for Japanese politics, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appears to be seriously considering calling a snap general election, possibly as early as February 2026. This move comes less than four months after she assumed office in October 2025, succeeding former leaders amid intra-party transformations and regional diplomatic turbulence. The possibility of an early election was signaled by Hirofumi Yoshimura, leader of the Japan Innovation Party and coalition partner, who suggested that Takaichi’s view on the timing of the election has entered a “new stage.” Domestic media reports have named February 8 or 15 as the most probable dates for polls should t...