Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced that she will dissolve parliament on Friday and call a snap general election. The decision, revealed at a press conference on Monday, aims to seek direct voter support for her spending plans and other policies. Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, made the announcement just three months after assuming office. The upcoming vote will contest all 465 seats in the lower house, marking her first major electoral test since taking power.

Political analysts cited in the report suggest that Takaichi’s move is intended to strengthen her control over the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and solidify the coalition government’s fragile majority. The election comes amid growing public concern over rising living costs, which have become a dominant issue across Japan.

A recent NHK survey found that 45 percent of respondents identified price increases as the country’s most pressing problem, followed by diplomacy and national security at 16 percent. The outcome of the election is expected to shape the government’s ability to address these economic and policy challenges.