Japanese scholar calls lower house dissolution 'legally problematic'

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Japanese scholar calls lower house dissolution 'legally problematic'

2026-01-23 17:10 Last Updated At：01-25 12:49

Japanese political and economic commentator Shigeaki Koga on Wednesday criticized Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's decision to dissolve the House of Representatives as legally questionable and an abnormal political move.

Takaichi announced her decision on Monday to dissolve the 465-seat lower house for a snap election, aiming to capitalize on her cabinet's current high approval ratings. On Friday, the lower house was formally dissolved, with a general election set for Feb. 8.

Koga argued that the dissolution lacked proper constitutional grounding given the early stage of the current parliamentary session.

"A legitimate dissolution of the House should occur only after thorough deliberation in the Diet on crucial bills or policies, when no agreement can be reached and a decision must be made by seeking public judgment. That is the true purpose of dissolution. This time, however, the Diet had just begun and achieved almost nothing. Dissolving under such conditions is not what the Constitution envisions. It is rather abnormal and problematic," he said.

Koga also warned that the Takaichi administration's push to expand Japan's military capabilities is a dangerous shift in policy.

"Japan has long been maintaining its military at the minimum level necessary for self-defense, prioritizing the economy and people's livelihoods over military expansion. In Takaichi's view, this should change by enlarging the military and enabling the country to wage war. In her thinking, that makes Japan a 'normal country.' I believe Japan is heading in a dangerous direction. Of course, she will deny it and claim till the end that she 'does not want war,' but what she is actually doing is trying to turn Japan into a nation capable of starting a war," he said.

Escalating Middle East tensions drive up energy prices, squeezing US consumers

Soaring oil prices triggered by escalating tensions in the Middle East have heightened U.S. inflation pressures, with analysts warning that households face hundreds of dollars in extra costs if crude climbs further.

Data released on Tuesday by the American Automobile Association (AAA) showed that the national average price of regular gasoline in the United States has risen 18.64 percent compared with Feb. 26. The AAA data also indicated that the national average price of diesel on Tuesday was up 22.85 percent from a week earlier.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at global ratings agency Moody's, warned that U.S. consumers are being threatened by a sharp rise in fuel prices. He said that if international oil prices climb by another 10 U.S. dollars per barrel, annual spending for an average U.S. household would increase by about 450 dollars.

Zandi noted that a surge in oil prices would intensify inflationary pressure in the United States, eroding consumers' purchasing power and weighing on consumption, economic growth, and employment.

Tensions sharply escalated across the Middle East on Feb 28 when the United States and Israel launched large-scale joint airstrikes on Iran. The Iranian side has responded with multiple waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. assets across the region, hitting many countries in the Gulf.