Whispers of a snap election are growing louder in Tokyo as Prime Minister Sane Takaiichi contemplates pulling the trigger in February to ride her wave of public favor. Her ally, Japan Innovation Party’s Hirofumi Yoshimura, shared that her election mindset feels evolved, hinting at imminent action. This comes months after her October 2025 ascension, with strong ratings intact despite a weak yen. The rationale is multifaceted: popularity peaks offer prime harvesting for her defense resolve. Victory would quell party dissent and grease economic wheels. Geopolitical tensions with China and North Korea necessitate robust support for her decisive policies, mirroring the custom of new PMs seeking early legitimacy.
