Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has dissolved parliament in advance of a snap election scheduled for February 8, Aljazeera reported. 

The speaker of Japan’s parliament on Friday read out a letter, officially dissolving the lower house as lawmakers shouted the traditional rallying cry of “banzai”.

The dissolution of the 465-member lower house now paves the way for a 12-day election campaign, which officially begins on Tuesday, according to Aljazeera.