参考消息：日媒称自民党已进入战时状态

Core Viewpoint - The Japanese government, led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, is expected to dissolve the House of Representatives at the start of the regular Diet session on January 23, marking the first House election since October 2024. This move aims to strengthen the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) position amid rising political tensions and economic challenges [1]. Group 1: Political Context - The ruling LDP and the Japan Innovation Party have entered a "wartime state," preparing for the upcoming election while opposition parties are also gearing up for battle [1]. - Possible election schedules include public announcements on January 27 and February 3, with voting dates set for February 8 and February 15, respectively [1]. Group 2: Economic Implications - The dissolution of the House may delay the budget proposal for the fiscal year 2026 until April, potentially requiring a temporary budget that could significantly impact citizens' lives [1]. - There are concerns that political negotiations on expanding the ruling coalition and social security reforms will stall, as consensus with opposition parties is likely to be difficult [1]. Group 3: Opposition Response - Opposition parties criticize the dissolution as contradictory to Kishida's previous commitment to prioritize addressing rising prices, intensifying their attacks on the government [1]. - Constitutional Democratic Party leader Yukio Edano has expressed skepticism about the necessity of the dissolution, indicating a lack of perceived justification for the timing [1]. - National Democratic Party representative Yuichiro Tamaki stated that cooperation with Kishida's government will become challenging, as the budget for fiscal year 2026 may not pass in the current fiscal year, undermining trust between the parties [1].