Japan PM calls snap election to boost LDP mandate (Full Transcript)

[00:00:00] Speaker 1: No surprise here. Japan's prime minister is moving to dissolve parliament, paving the way for a snap election in February. It's been just three months since Isanai Takahichi's tenure. She's had some early wins on the world stage, smoothing ties with the U.S., South Korea, and Italy more recently. She hasn't achieved anything significant yet policy-wise, so why take the gamble? The conservative politician is the most popular prime minister Japan has seen in years, with personal poll ratings not seen since 2012. Her party, though, is another story. The Liberal Democratic Party doesn't have a clear majority in parliament, making bold reforms harder to push through. So before the parliamentary session even begins, she's seizing on her popularity. But it's still a risky move. Her predecessor tried the exact same playbook, but it backfired, costing the LDP its majority in its lower house of parliament.