Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Friday dissolved parliament ahead of a snap general election on February 8 — a vote that she hopes will provide her with a new mandate to negotiate the challenges facing the nation. Analysts caution, however, that Takaichi's solid approval ratings may not translate into support for her scandal-tainted Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) , while a new opposition party has suddenly emerged as a viable alternative to the long-ruling LDP. Given those unusual