Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says she will dissolve the House of Representatives on Friday and hold a snap general election on Feb 8, calling on voters to decide whether she should remain the country's leader.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has said she will dissolve Parliament on Friday and call a national election to seek voter backing for increased spending and a new security strategy expected to acce­lerate the country's defence build-up.

Japan's first female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi plans snap election to capitalize on 70% approval ratings and strengthen her coalition majority.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attends a press conference to announce the dissolution of the House of Representatives at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on January 19

Japanese Prime Minster Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung rounded off their summit meeting on Tuesday with an unexpected jam session

At a meeting in Tokyo, Prime Ministers Giorgia Meloni of Italy and Sanae Takaichi of Japan bonded over being conservative women at the pinnacle of power.