Japan's Opposition Protests Lower House Dissolution Debate: "It Will Create a Political Vacuum"

As it has been reported that Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of Japan, is considering dissolving the House of Representatives (the lower house), the Japanese political sphere has begun preparations for a general election.

Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of Japan. Photo by Yonhap News

According to reports by the Asahi Shimbun and Nikkei on January 11, Prime Minister Takaichi conveyed to senior officials of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party that dissolving the House of Representatives at the beginning of the regular Diet session could be one of the options regarding this year’s key political issue in Japan.

Currently, the combined number of seats held by the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, in the House of Representatives is just over half, with 233 out of a total of 465 seats. It is reported that Prime Minister Takaichi is aiming for the Liberal Democratic Party to secure a majority on its own by dissolving the House of Representatives this month and holding the general election on either February 8 or 15.

Opposition parties expressed strong objections. Noda Yoshihiko, leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party, the largest opposition party, told reporters on the same day, "While claiming to address high prices, this move is creating a political vacuum," adding, "It is neither principled nor in line with the public interest."

Tamaki Yuichiro, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, the second-largest opposition party, also appeared on NHK and criticized the early dissolution at the start of the regular Diet session, saying, "The passage of various policies to address high prices will be delayed," and that such a move would go against previous promises. Representatives from other opposition parties, including Komeito and Reiwa Shinsengumi, also voiced their opposition to the early dissolution of the House of Representatives.

The ruling parties hinted at preparations for the general election. Yoshimura Hirofumi, leader of the Japan Innovation Party, said on NHK that although he did not hear any specific mention of an early dissolution of the House of Representatives during his meeting with Prime Minister Takaichi on January 9, the conversation suggested that "the situation has entered a new stage."

Nikkei analyzed that, since the founding of the Liberal Democratic Party in 1955, 56% of prime ministers have dissolved the House of Representatives for the first time within one year of taking office. It also noted that in 6 out of 9 cases where the House of Representatives was dissolved within one year of a prime minister’s inauguration, the ruling party secured a majority of seats.

The newspaper also reported that while the approval rating for the Takaichi Cabinet is high, support for the Liberal Democratic Party remains below 40%. It added that Komeito, which had previously cooperated with the Liberal Democratic Party in elections, has left the coalition, which could affect the election outcome.