The lower house of Japan’s parliament was dissolved by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Tuesday, paving the way for elections to be held on February 8. According to foreign media, the speaker of the house made the official announcement to dissolve the parliament, and the election campaign is expected to begin on February 11.
Kishida, who became Japan’s first female prime minister in October, has seen her popularity rate reach nearly 70% in just three months. She is reportedly using her personal popularity to strengthen her ruling party’s position.
Japan’s cabinet has approved a record defense budget of $58 billion for the fiscal year 2026, amidst growing regional tensions with China. The ruling coalition, comprising the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party, holds a slim majority in the lower house.
International media reports suggest that Japan’s main concern is rising inflation, while the state-run NHK broadcaster says that election campaign will focus on controlling inflation and China’s increasing aggression.
Tensions between Japan and China escalated after Prime Minister Kishida visited Taiwan in November, prompting China to impose economic and diplomatic sanctions on Japan. US President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 100% tariff on Canada if it agrees to a deal with China.
The Afghan Human Rights Organization has expressed severe concern over the new criminal code for Afghanistan’s courts, which has been criticized for its human rights implications.
In other news, a blast occurred on a railway line in India’s Punjab state, affecting air operations between the US and Iran. Iranian media reports say that the perpetrators of the attack were linked to the terrorist group ISIS.
The White House has again focused on Greenland, this time using a viral meme on social media to suggest that European countries should charter flights to relocate Afghan refugees. A man in India’s Haryana state has been arrested for allegedly killing his four-year-old daughter after she failed to count up to 50.
On January 2, 2016, a suicide bombing occurred on a flight from Somalia to Djibouti, but miraculously all passengers on board survived except for the bomber.
In Delhi, a shocking video has emerged of a 24-year-old man confessing to shooting his friend in a café over a personal grudge. Four people, including a woman of Indian origin, were killed in a shooting incident in the US state of Georgia.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has blocked a deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to the Maldives. The FBI has arrested a former Canadian Olympian for allegedly smuggling drugs and murder in Mexico City.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has warned that Israel may be planning a military strike on Iran, which could destabilize the region further. A jury has been discharged in the case of a man who created a group on a social media app.
The US has rejected British criticism of Trump’s comments on NATO. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that his government hopes to achieve peace in Gaza through the Ghazza Board of Peace. A lawyer and her husband have been sentenced for making controversial tweets.
A Bollywood actress was insulted and molested by elderly people while performing on stage in India’s Haryana state. Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Senator Rana Sanaullah has said that Pakistan should stand with Bangladesh in the ICC World Cup dispute.
Actor Danesh Taimur has expressed pride in Pakistan’s television drama industry, which he says is reaching new heights. The new drama serial “Hamrahi” was shot in London, Turkey, and Islamabad.
A former Pakistani cricketer has expressed his support for the Pakistan Super League. A woman who was in a relationship with a married man has been sentenced to prison for her role in his murder.
A 24-year-old woman was killed by her husband and his friends in India’s Haryana state.
