On Friday, the speaker of Japan’s legislature formally announced the dissolution of the lower house, as lawmakers shouted the traditional cry of “banzai”.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has dissolved parliament ahead of a snap election set for February 8.

On Friday, the speaker of Japan’s legislature formally announced the dissolution of the lower house, as lawmakers shouted the traditional cry of “banzai”.

The move disbands the 465-seat chamber and clears the way for a 12-day election campaign that will officially begin on Tuesday.

Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, said earlier this week that she planned to call an early election.

She was elected in October and has been in office for just three months, but opinion polls show approval ratings of around 70 percent.

She hopes to use her personal popularity to help the governing bloc recover after years of declining public support.

The ruling coalition of Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) currently holds only a narrow majority in the influential lower house.
However, political analyst Hidehiro Yamamoto of the University of Tsukuba said it was uncertain whether support for Takaichi would translate into votes for the LDP.

“Public concern is focused on measures to curb inflation,” he told AFP.
Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported that key campaign issues are expected to include rising living costs and security matters, particularly amid growing tensions with China.

Relations between Tokyo and Beijing have worsened since Takaichi suggested in November that Japan could become involved if China used force against Taiwan, which Beijing considers part of its territory. China has since responded with heightened economic and diplomatic pressure on Japan.