Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has won a crushing victory in a snap general election. Her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) took 316 of 465 lower house seats, achieving the first two-thirds supermajority for any single party since 1945. The ruling coalition with the Japan Innovation Party secured over 340 seats in total.
NHK confirmed the result after voters faced blizzards and 230 flight cancellations on 8 February. The outcome bolsters Takaichi’s authority just four months into her trailblazing role as Japan’s first woman premier.
In an NHK interview, she thanked those who “braved the cold and walked through the snowy roads to cast their votes.” She said, “I wanted the voters to give me a mandate because I advocated for responsible, proactive fiscal policy that would significantly shift economic and fiscal policy.”
Takaichi, 64, triggered the poll to capitalise on her popularity after a funding scandal hit the LDP under Shigeru Ishiba. She won party leadership on 4 October and office on 21 October. On 19 January, she called dissolving parliament “a profoundly weighty decision,” adding, “by doing so, I am also putting my position as prime minister on the line.”
Her platform featured a 21 trillion yen stimulus, including a two-year suspension of the 8% food tax to ease living costs, yen weakness and ageing woes. Shares rose on the news.
Viral moments like drumming K-pop hits with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung lifted her appeal, especially among youth. U.S. President Donald Trump backed her strongly. On X, she hailed their alliance as “LIMITLESS.”
Trump wrote, “Congratulations to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Coalition on a LANDSLIDE Victory in today’s very important Vote. She is a highly respected and very popular Leader. Sanae’s bold and wise decision to call for an Election paid off big time.” He termed his support an “honor.”
The supermajority lets her bypass the upper house for reforms and tackle inflation, demographics and China tensions. Her Taiwan stance drew Beijing’s ire but rallied backing at home.