Japan's ruling party vulnerable as snap poll looms

"Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Friday dissolved parliament ahead of a snap general election on February 8 a vote that she hopes will provide her with a new mandate to negotiate the challenges facing the nation. Analysts caution, however, that Takaichi's solid approval ratings may not translate into support for her scandal-tainted Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), while a new opposition party has suddenly emerged as a viable alternative to the long-ruling LDP."

"The LDP won 191 seats in the 2024 lower house election, giving it a solid majority thanks to its junior coalition partner, the Buddhist-backed Komeito. Takaichi's cabinet on Friday morning formally set election day, in just 16 days' timeImage: Miho Takahashi/AP Photo/picture alliance The LDP fared less well in last year's upper house elections, losing seats to far-right parties, which left it as a minority government and forced then-Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to step down."

"In another blow, Komeito split from the LDP after 26 years in the wake of Takaichi's elevation, citing significant policy differences. The LDP has attempted to shrug off the loss of Komeito and formed a looser alliance with the similarly conservative Japan Innovation Party. But Takaichi's party is certain to feel the loss of Komeito at the ballot box and has now teamed up with the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan to form the new Centrist Reform Alliance (CRA)."

Sanae Takaichi dissolved parliament and called a snap general election for February 8 seeking a new mandate to address national challenges. Takaichi maintains high personal approval ratings around 70%, but analysts warn those ratings may not translate into votes for the scandal-tainted Liberal Democratic Party. The LDP previously held 191 lower house seats aided by Komeito, but Komeito split after 26 years over policy differences. The LDP has formed a looser alliance with the Japan Innovation Party and joined the Centrist Reform Alliance with the Constitutional Democratic Party, totaling 172 seats and posing a significant electoral challenge.

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