Japan's snap poll on Feb 8

TOKYO:

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on Monday she would dissolve parliament this week ahead of a snap election on February 8, hoping for a stronger mandate to push through her ambitious policy agenda.

The country's first woman leader is banking on her high poll numbers to lead the unpopular ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) to victory.

"Is Sanae Takaichi fit to be prime minister? I wanted to ask the sovereign people to decide," she told a news conference.

"Following the dissolution of the lower house on January 23, the schedule will be set for campaigning to start on January 27 and voting and counting held on February 8."

If elected, Takaichi pledged Monday to cut a tax on

food for a two-year period to "alleviate the burden"

on people struggling with inflation.