Japan's Takaichi set to call snap election

PM keen to capitalise on high public rating

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Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was set to inform senior party officials of her plan to call a general election to capitalise on strong public support for her government, media reports said yesterday.

Ms Takaichi was appointed Japan's first woman prime minister in October and her cabinet is enjoying an approval rating of around 70%.

But her ruling bloc only has a slim majority in the powerful lower house of parliament, hindering its ability to push through her ambitious policy agenda.

Ms Takaichi “will tell senior officials of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) her intention of dissolving the lower house” on Jan 23 at a meeting yesterday, the business daily Nikkei Shimbunreported, citing unnamed sources from the government and the LDP.