Japan Parties Speed Up Preparations for Possible General Election

Tokyo, Jan. 13 (Jiji Press)--Japanese political parties are speeding up preparations for a possible general election that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is reportedly considering.

On Tuesday, senior officials of Takaichi's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, including Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki and Election Strategy Committee Chairman Keiji Furuya, met at the party's headquarters to discuss steps to take if the prime minister dissolves the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, for a snap election.

"We'll swiftly fill party candidate vacancies in constituencies," said one of the meeting's participants.

On the same day, the LDP instructed its prefectural chapters to report their planned candidates for the Lower House by Monday.

Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura, leader of the Japan Innovation Party, the LDP's coalition partner, told reporters that he believes Takaichi has decided to dissolve the Lower House.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]