Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced today, Saturday, the dissolution of the House of Representatives, paving the way for early elections on February 8. The dissolution of the 465-member House of Representatives allows for a 12-day election campaign, which officially begins on Tuesday.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, Takaichi’s plan to hold early elections aims to capitalize on her popularity to expand the ruling majority in the House of Representatives, the more powerful of the two chambers of the Japanese parliament.