Lower Thirds:
0:02	Report by| Rik Glauert
0:59	Sanae Takaichi | Japanese Prime Minister
1:48	 Yoshihiko Noda | Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan

((info:. Japan is preparing to dissolve parliament, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi calls a snap election just over three months after taking office. Her ruling Liberal Democratic Party does not currently command a majority on its own, and Takaichi is hoping strong approval ratings will translate into a clearer mandate to govern. But the vote is about more than domestic politics — it will also shape how Japan positions itself in an increasingly uncertain region.)) 

Script: 

00:00-00:18 
Just three months after taking office, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is sending the country to the polls on February 8. 
Her ruling Liberal Democratic Party does not command a majority in either house of Japan’s parliament. She is seeking a direct mandate after taking over from her predecessor  

00:18-00:31 
+++ Voxpop 1+++  
Things have changed completely since Ishiba was prime minister, and it doesn’t represent the will of the people. I was hoping they would quickly dissolve parliament, so I think this is very good. 
 
00:31-00:39 
+++Voxpop 2+++ 
With just two weeks of campaigning, it won't be possible to have a calm discussion of the issues, and that makes me very uneasy. 
 
00:39-00:56 
At home, Japan's first female prime minister’s short time in office has been marked by a promise to combat rising prices and with tax cuts and heavy government spending. 

Abroad she’s been making waves deepening cooperation with the United States and South Korea, while taking a firm hand on neighboring China. 
 
00:56-01:21 
+++ Sanae Takaichi, Japanese Prime Minister+++ 
The international situation is increasingly difficult. The Chinese military has conducted military exercises around Taiwan. You can also see how China uses economic coercion to force other countries to submit to its demands by controlling raw materials in supply chains, materials that the wolrd relies on and are widely used for civilian purposes.+++
 
01:21-01:46 
That tougher, more nationalist tone is resonating with some voters and Takaichi is doing well in the polls. 
And after years of political churn, many value Takaichi’s direct style and emphasis on national security. 
But her election bid is facing a significant challenge. 
Japan’s main opposition party and a former coalition partner are joining forces — aiming to pull Japanese politics back toward the centre. 
 
01:46-01:54 
+++Yoshihiko Noda, Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan+++ 
Our two parties have reached an agreement to form a new party so we can fight this election together. +++

01:54-02:17 
That fight will come to a head when voters decide all 465 seats in parliament’s lower house. 
Sanae Takaichi’s short but eventful time in office has been marked by speed and decisiveness — and she’s now betting that this snap election will turn that bold approach into stronger leadership for her and her party.