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23.01.2026

The Day of the Sixty-Year First Opening Dissolution

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This page is an archive of main headlines from Japan for 23.01.2026.

It displays 45 headlines from many sources chronologically, as they appeared throughout the day, accompanied by AI overviews that were written in real time.

23.01.2026 ⇢ The Day of the Sixty-Year First Opening Dissolution
⌹On January 23, Japanese editorial priority focused almost exclusively on the formal dissolution of the House of Representatives by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Morning headlines highlighted the Cabinet's decision to trigger a snap election—the first at the start of an ordinary Diet session in 60 years—establishing a 16-day campaign ending on February 8. By early afternoon, the Speaker of the House read the imperial decree, officially stripping lawmakers of their seats.
The Bank of Japan’s decision to maintain interest rates at 0.75% while raising inflation forecasts provided the secondary economic narrative, with editors linking fiscal policy directly to the election cycle. Simultaneously, weather desks remained preoccupied with a worsening heavy snow emergency in Fukui and along the Sea of Japan coast, reporting on stranded motorists. Late afternoon coverage shifted to campaign specifics, as editors analyzed Takaichi’s rejection of deficit bonds for consumption tax cuts and the emergence of ideological friction between the LDP-Ishin coalition and the new centrist alliance.
23.01.2026

00:51 (15:51)⇢Fukui Buried Under Emergency Snow

⌹Japanese editors are prioritizing the escalating 'heavy snow emergency' in Fukui and the Hokuriku-Tokai region, where motorists are now stranded and transport has been paralyzed (NHK, TBS, Chunichi). Meanwhile, the arts and culture desks are highlighting the film 'Kokuhou' for receiving an Academy Award nomination for Makeup and Hairstyling, despite missing the International Feature Film category (Sankei, Yomiuri).
09:16
倖資系のプルデンシャル生呜保険で、100人を超える営業瀟員らが玄500人の顧客から蚈玄31億円をだたし取るなどずいった、倧芏暡な䞍正が発芚した。「プロフェッショナル」をうたう営業瀟員が顧客を食い物にする実態に、顧客や珟圹瀟員の蚌蚀、裁刀資料 
09:16 (00:16 in your timezone)
09:22
Kyodo News

Extra shinkansen services to run amid heavy snow along Sea of Japan coast

Extra shinkansen services will run to help travelers deal with flight cancellations due to heavy snow along the coast of the Sea of Japan, railway operators said Thursday.
09:22 (00:22 in your timezone)
10:52
Kyodo News

Japanese hit film "Kokuho" nominated in Academy's makeup category

The hit Japanese film "Kokuho" was nominated for best makeup and hairstyling in this year's Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Thursday.
10:52 (01:52 in your timezone)

11:18 (02:18)⇢Mid-Winter Dissolution Underway

⌹Japanese editors are focused on the Cabinet's decision to dissolve the House of Representatives, initiating a mid-winter general election (Yomiuri, NHK, Yahoo, Nikkei, Sankei, TBS). Conservative outlets analyze the 'short-term battle' and the Liberal Democratic Party's 'money and politics' scandals (Nikkei, Sankei, Japan Business Press). This political shift follows the previous focus on the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa reactor failure and regional heavy snow emergencies.
11:47
Kyodo News

Japan PM Takaichi to dissolve lower house for Feb. 8 election

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is set to dissolve Japan's House of Representatives on Friday for a snap general election on Feb.
11:47 (02:47 in your timezone)
12:14
日銀は23日開いた金融政策決定䌚合で、政策金利である無担保コヌル翌日物レヌトの誘導目暙を0.75%で据え眮くず決めた。2025幎12月の決定䌚合で利䞊げを決めたばかりで、圓面は経枈・物䟡ぞの圱響を芋極める。 怍田和男総裁が午埌3時30分に蚘者䌚芋し、決定内容を説明する。 
12:14 (03:14 in your timezone)
12:16
12:31
日銀は23日開いた金融政策決定䌚合で、政策金利である無担保コヌル翌日物レヌトの誘導目暙を0.75%で据え眮くず決めた。2025幎12月の決定䌚合で利䞊げを決めたばかりで、圓面は経枈・物䟡ぞの圱響を芋極める。 怍田和男総裁が午埌3時30分に蚘者䌚芋し、決定内容を説明する。9人の政策委員のうち、高田創審議委員は物䟡安定目暙はおおむね達成されおおり、海倖経枈が回埩局面にあるもずで物䟡の䞊振れリスクが高 
12:31 (03:31 in your timezone)

12:51 (03:51)⇢The Sixteen-Day Winter Sprint

⌹The Japanese media is dominated by the formal dissolution of the House of Representatives for a snap election (Yomiuri, Sankei, TBS, NHK, Asahi, Kyodo). Mainichi and Asahi emphasize the lack of clear justification and the 'lightness' of Prime Minister Takaichi's rhetoric. Simultaneously, the Bank of Japan's decision to maintain interest rates at 0.75% while raising inflation forecasts is receiving significant secondary coverage (Nikkei, Yahoo, Nikkei Asia).
13:07
衆院は高垂早苗銖盞の刀断を受け、23日の通垞囜䌚の冒頭に解散された。午埌の衆院本䌚議で額賀犏志郎議長が解散詔曞を読み䞊げた。総遞挙は27日公瀺―2月8日投開祚の日皋で実斜する予定で、䞎野党は事実䞊の遞挙戊に突入する。 政府は23日午前の閣議で衆院解散を決めた。解散埌の同日午埌に再び臚時閣議を開き、日皋を正匏に決定する。 衆院遞は石砎茂政暩だった2024幎10月以来およそ1幎3カ月ぶりで、小遞挙区 
13:07 (04:07 in your timezone)
13:16
高垂早苗銖盞は23日、衆院を解散する。通垞囜䌚の冒頭の解散は異䟋で、通垞囜䌚が1月に召集されるようになった1992幎以降では初ずなる。 前回2024幎の衆院遞で圓遞した珟圚の衆院議員の任期の3分の1にも満たない状況での解散で、解散の倧矩が問 
13:16 (04:16 in your timezone)
13:16
Kyodo News

Japan PM Takaichi dissolves lower house for Feb. 8 election to seek mandate

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved Japan's House of Representatives on Friday for a snap general election on Feb.
13:16 (04:16 in your timezone)
13:17
13:25

14:03 (05:03)⇢The Sixteen Day Winter Sprint

⌹Japanese editors are focused on the formal dissolution of the House of Representatives, initiating a 16-day election cycle (Yomiuri, NHK, Nikkei, Yahoo). While conservative outlets examine Takaichi's policy platform on consumption tax exemptions (Sankei, Chunichi), the liberal press critiques the lack of political accountability and the 'lightness' of the Prime Minister's rhetoric regarding this snap decision (Mainichi, Asahi, Japan Business Press).
14:16
高垂早苗銖盞は23日、衆院を解散した。通垞囜䌚の冒頭の解散は異䟋で、通垞囜䌚が1月に召集されるようになった1992幎以降では初ずなる。 前回2024幎の衆院遞で圓遞した珟圚の衆院議員の任期の3分の1にも満たない状況での解散で、解散の倧矩が問 
14:16 (05:16 in your timezone)
15:12
高垂早苗銖盞自民党総裁は23日、日本経枈新聞のむンタビュヌで消費皎枛皎の財源に関しお「特䟋公債に頌らない」ず明蚀した。「食料品に限り、2幎間限定。ここを正しく垂堎ぞのメッセヌゞずしお䌝えなければいけない」ず蚎えた。「䞖界の勘違いもある」ず指摘した。 足元の長期金利の動向に぀いお「日本だけでなく䞖界の垂堎に盞圓倧きな倉動が生じおいる」ずの認識を瀺した。「政府ずしお倧事なのは財政の持続可胜性に配 
15:12 (06:12 in your timezone)
15:30

16:08 (07:08)⇢The Midwinter Dissolution Mandate

⌹Japanese editors are focused on the formal dissolution of the House of Representatives, initiating a snap election for February 8. While conservative outlets highlight the LDP-Ishin coalition's reform platform (Sankei, Yomiuri), liberal critics analyze the Prime Minister's 'light' rhetoric and the lack of accountability regarding the rapid dissolution (Mainichi, Asahi, Japan Business Press). Discussion is shifting toward specific campaign issues like consumption tax cuts (TBS, Asahi, Chunichi).
16:16
高垂早苗銖盞は23日、衆院を解散した。通垞囜䌚の冒頭の解散は異䟋で、通垞囜䌚が1月に召集されるようになった1992幎以降では初ずなる。 前回2024幎の衆院遞で圓遞した珟圚の衆院議員の任期の3分の1にも満たない状況での解散で、解散の倧矩が問 
16:16 (07:16 in your timezone)
17:01

17:20 (08:20)⇢Winter Gavel Falls on the Diet

⌹The formal dissolution of the House of Representatives dominates Japanese media, initiating a 16-day election cycle (Yomiuri, TBS, Asahi, Chunichi, Kyodo). Editors are highlighting Prime Minister Takaichi's pivot toward conservative base mobilization through stricter immigration rhetoric and 'cohesion' policies (Sankei, Mainichi). Meanwhile, the Bank of Japan's coordination with the government on rising interest rates underscores the economic stakes of this snap mandate (Nikkei).
18:42
高垂早苗銖盞は23日、衆院を解散した。通垞囜䌚の冒頭の解散は異䟋で、通垞囜䌚が1月に召集されるようになった1992幎以降では初ずなる。 前回2024幎の衆院遞で圓遞した珟圚の衆院議員の任期の3分の1にも満たない状況での解散で、解散の倧矩が問 
18:42 (09:42 in your timezone)
19:16
衆議院が23日に解散され、事実䞊の遞挙戊がスタヌトした。物䟡高により倚くのモノの䟡栌が高隰する䞭、遞挙そのものにかかる費甚も䞊がっおいる。民䞻䞻矩のコストずはいえ、識者は透明性の倧切さを説く。 「なんずか間に合わせおほしい」「玍期たでにどう 
19:16 (10:16 in your timezone)

19:18 (10:18)⇢Snap Winter Dissolution Casts a Cold Shadow

⌹Japanese editors are prioritizing the formal dissolution of the House of Representatives, marking the start of a 16-day election cycle (NHK, Yomiuri, Chunichi, Kyodo). While conservative outlets analyze Prime Minister Takaichi’s assertive security stance and defense spending (Mainichi, Sankei), liberal reports highlight the escalating financial costs of the election and criticize the lack of transparency regarding political funding (Asahi, Japan Business Press).
21:16
「保守」を意識する高垂早苗銖盞率いる自民党。察抗軞に「䞭道」を突き぀ける䞭道改革連合。衆院が23日に解散され、事実䞊始たった遞挙戊は、䞎野党の2倧勢力が異なる政治的立ち䜍眮を鮮明化させ、理念察決の色合いを濃くしおいる。■「安倍路線」の継承醞 
21:16 (12:16 in your timezone)

21:18 (12:18)⇢Sixteen Days of Winter Fire

⌹The formal dissolution of the House of Representatives remains the primary focus across Japanese media, initiating the shortest campaign period in postwar history (NHK, Yomiuri, Mainichi, Chunichi, Kyodo). Conservative outlets highlight Prime Minister Takaichi’s joint street appeal with Ishin leader Yoshimura (Yomiuri, Sankei), while liberal editors scrutinize the 'ideological confrontation' between her administration and the newly formed centrist alliance (Asahi, Sankei). Simultaneously, the Bank of Japan's hawkish stance on interest rates provides a critical economic backdrop (Nikkei).
23:01

23:29 (14:29)⇢A Disciplined Winter Mandate

⌹Japanese editors are intensifying their focus on the snap election's economic stakes following the Diet's dissolution. Conservative outlets analyze Prime Minister Takaichi's 'disciplined' fiscal policy and her rejection of deficit bonds to fund consumption tax cuts (Nikkei, Sankei). Meanwhile, liberal and regional media highlight the logistical challenges of a midwinter campaign and growing skepticism regarding the suddenness of the mandate (Yomiuri, Mainichi, Hokkaido Shimbun).