Landslide Victory Strengthens LDP
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi appears to have delivered a commanding victory in Sunday’s snap elections, with early estimates suggesting her ruling bloc has captured around 300 of 465 seats in the lower house. If confirmed, this would be the Liberal Democratic Party’s strongest showing since 2017 under Takaichi’s mentor, the late Shinzo Abe. The win could give the LDP a super-majority even without its junior partner, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), while the main opposition alliance suffered significant losses and the anti-immigration Sanseito party made modest gains.
“We received voter backing for Prime Minister Takaichi’s proactive economic policies and strengthened national defence,” LDP Secretary General Shunichi Suzuki said, underscoring the electorate’s support for her agenda.
Popularity Surge Amid Economic Challenges
Since becoming Japan’s first female prime minister last October, 64-year-old Takaichi has reversed the LDP’s declining popularity, appealing to a wide range of voters, including younger demographics. A former heavy metal drummer and admirer of Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi was once on the party’s ultra-conservative fringe. Her early months in office saw a $135 billion stimulus package to ease inflation, followed by a campaign promise to suspend the consumption tax on food.
Despite the political triumph, Takaichi faces serious economic pressures. Japan’s public debt exceeds twice the size of its economy, and recent spikes in long-term bond yields have rattled global markets, putting her fiscal policies under close scrutiny.
Rising Tensions with China
Takaichi’s victory may also heighten tensions with Beijing. Shortly after taking office, she warned that Japan could take military action if China attempted to seize Taiwan by force. China, which claims the island as its territory, reacted angrily, summoning Tokyo’s ambassador, issuing travel warnings to its citizens, and conducting joint air exercises with Russia. Even symbolic gestures, such as the return of Japan’s last two pandas to China, have underscored the fragile state of bilateral relations.
With unprecedented parliamentary support at home and a cautious eye abroad, Takaichi now faces the twin challenges of stabilising Japan’s economy and navigating an increasingly tense regional security landscape.
