Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the opposition Democratic Party for the People (DPP), has indicated the possibility that his party may not approve the government¡¯s fiscal 2026 draft budget if Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi intends to dissolve the Lower House for a snap election as early as next month.

¡°I won¡¯t be able to guarantee¡± the DPP¡¯s approval of the budget in that case, Tamaki said.

Takaichi is reportedly considering two options: either a Jan. 27 announcement and a ?Feb. 8 election or a Feb. 3 announcement and a Feb. 15 poll. The regular session of parliament is due to begin on Jan. 23.

An early dissolution of the all-important chamber would violate an agreement between Takaichi¡¯s ruling Liberal Democratic Party and the DPP to realize the enactment of the budget by the end of this fiscal year through March, Tamaki said.

He made the remarks in a television program Sunday. Some LDP members are examining the possible early dissolution of the Lower House for a general election.

Last month, Takaichi and Tamaki signed an agreement to raise the annual income tax threshold further to ?1.78 million and pass the fiscal 2026 tax reform legislation and the budget, which are necessary to realize the threshold hike, within fiscal 2025.

¡°If the LDP regains a majority, then again tax cuts would not be implemented,¡± he said.

¡°If the dissolution is carried out while policy measures are put aside, (Takaichi) would be no different¡± from her predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba, Tamaki added.

The Asahi Shimbun also reported that Takaichi had told government officials that dissolving the Lower House at the start of the regular session is ¡°one option,¡± but another proposal was to do so after passage of the fiscal 2026 budget.