Japan to Convene Special Parliament Session for Prime Minister Election on October 18

Japan's government is set to convene a special parliamentary session on October 18 to conduct the election for the Prime Minister. According to RTHK, the Japanese Constitution mandates that a special parliament must be called within 30 days following the conclusion of the House of Representatives election to elect a new Prime Minister. On the day of the special session, the current Takashi Cabinet will resign collectively, allowing the newly elected members of the House of Representatives and the existing House of Councillors to vote for the new Prime Minister, who will then form a new cabinet. The election process involves voting in both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors. A candidate who secures more than half of the votes in the first round will be declared the winner. If no candidate achieves a majority, the top two candidates will proceed to a second round, where the one with the most votes will win. In the event of a disagreement between the two houses, the Constitution stipulates that the decision of the House of Representatives will prevail. Reports indicate that with the Liberal Democratic Party holding more than two-thirds of the seats in the House of Representatives, Sanae Takaichi is expected to win the Prime Minister election without much contest. Sanae Takaichi stated yesterday that once the parliament convenes, efforts will be made to advance the 2026 fiscal budget and related legislative measures.