09:37 (00:37)â¢The High Stakes Winter Dissolution
âšJapanese media are fixated on Prime Minister Takaichi's formal decision to dissolve the House of Representatives on January 23 for a February 8 election (Kyodo, TBS, NHK, Asahi). Liberal outlets highlight the 'policy vacuum' created by abandoning budget deliberations (Asahi, Mainichi, Nikkei), while conservative and centrist sources emphasize the populist fiscal competition over consumption tax cuts (Nikkei, Sankei, Yomiuri). Additionally, social media sentiment surrounding the Abe assassination trial is gaining traction (Yomiuri).