{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/d556eb54-6160-4c85-95f4-47d9f5216c49/696f5fc125b879f328c965e5?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Power ballot: Japanese PM’s electoral gamble","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/62e286a934d4d93d6587424a/1768906435247-53905998-89a1-4879-bd1b-7e148b50dd22.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>Japan’s prime minister Takaichi Sanae has called an <a href=\"https://www.economist.com/asia/2026/01/19/japans-popular-new-prime-minister-gambles-on-a-snap-election?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">election</a> three months into her term. Can she capitalise on her popularity, or will her less-popular party be punished at the ballot box? Will a new treaty curb the destruction of <a href=\"https://www.economist.com/international/2025/12/30/a-half-planet-size-gap-in-global-governance-is-about-to-get-plugged?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">the oceans</a>? And how fancy restaurants are responding to the <a href=\"https://www.economist.com/culture/2025/12/29/restaurants-are-changing-their-menus-for-the-age-of-ozempic?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">age of Ozempic</a>.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p><em>Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—</em><a href=\"https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</em></a></p><p><br></p><p><em>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our </em><a href=\"https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>FAQs page</em></a><em> or watch </em><a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"><em>our video</em></a><em> explaining how to link your account.</em></p>","author_name":"The Economist"}