Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is said to be considering dissolving the lower house next week and calling a snap election on Feb. 8, the Yomiuri newspaper reports. If the vote proceeds, the government's fiscal 2026 budget may not pass before the fiscal year ends in March. To preserve funding and policy continuity, Takaichi is weighing a temporary stopgap budget and has vowed to roll out inflation countermeasures swiftly. The situation remains fluid as final decisions are made.
Japan PM Sanae Takaichi Weighs Feb. 8 Snap Lower-House Election, Yomiuri Reports
FILE PHOTO: Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi delivers her first policy speech in the parliament, in Tokyo, Japan, October 24, 2025. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo
Tokyo — Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is reportedly considering calling a snap election for the lower house on Feb. 8 after dissolving the chamber next week, the Yomiuri newspaper said.
According to the Yomiuri report, if a vote is held on that date the government's fiscal 2026 budget is unlikely to clear parliament before the current fiscal year ends in March. To prevent interruptions to government operations, Takaichi is said to be weighing a temporary stopgap budget while pledging to roll out inflation countermeasures as quickly as possible.
What This Means
A snap election would compress the parliamentary calendar and could delay passage of key spending measures for the new fiscal year. A stopgap budget would maintain funding and allow the government to implement urgent measures, including promised steps to address inflation, without waiting for a full budget to be approved.
The plan was reported by Yomiuri; details remain subject to change as Takaichi and her advisers finalize timing and strategy.
(Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Chris Reese)
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