Japan has witnessed historic political moment. On February 8, 2026, Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi led her party to a massive electoral victory. The election results marked a clear shift in Japanese politics, giving her a strong mandate just months after taking office. The landslide win strengthens her position to push major reforms related to the economy, defence, and national security, while reshaping Japan’s political direction in the coming years.
Japan Election 2026
- The Japan Election 2026 is in the news after Sanae Takaichi, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, secured a two-thirds supermajority in the powerful lower house of parliament.
- According to NHK projections, the LDP won 316 seats in the 465-member House of Representatives, far above the majority mark of 261 seats.
- This is the party’s best performance since its formation in 1955.
Historic Mandate for Japan’s First Female Prime Minister
- Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister in October 2025.
- Her decisive victory in this early election has cemented her political authority.
- The LDP’s seat count surpassed the previous record of 300 seats set in 1986 under former PM Yasuhiro Nakasone.
- Celebrations at party headquarters symbolised the scale of public support and reflected Takaichi’s personal popularity across age groups, especially among younger voters.
Why Sanae Takaichi Called an Early Election
- Takaichi called an early election just three months after assuming office. The decision was strategic.
- The ruling party had faced funding and religious scandals in recent years.
- With her popularity high, Takaichi sought a fresh mandate to stabilise governance and reset public trust.
- The gamble paid off as the opposition remained fragmented and failed to present a unified challenge against the LDP-led alliance.
Weak Opposition and Electoral Dynamics
- The opposition was divided despite forming new alliances.
- The centrist grouping of Komeito and the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan suffered major losses and is projected to secure barely half of its earlier strength.
- Meanwhile, smaller nationalist parties like Sanseito gained some ground but not enough to challenge the ruling bloc.
- This fragmentation played a major role in the LDP’s overwhelming victory.
Key Policy Agenda After the Landslide Win
- With a supermajority in the lower house, Takaichi plans to advance a right-leaning policy agenda.
- Her priorities include boosting Japan’s economy, revising security and defence policies, lifting restrictions on weapons exports, and strengthening military capabilities amid regional tensions with China.
- She has also emphasised economic security, technology development, and proactive government spending to address rising living costs and slow wage growth.
Shift in Security, Defense, and Immigration Policies
- Takaichi has pledged to revise Japan’s defense policy by December 2026, moving away from strict post-war pacifism.
- She supports higher defense spending, partly responding to pressure from the United States.
- Her government is also expected to pursue tougher immigration policies, stricter foreign property ownership rules, and stronger anti-espionage laws moves that appeal to conservative voters but have raised civil rights concerns.
Question
Q. Who became Japan’s first female Prime Minister?
A. Yuriko Koike
B. Sanae Takaichi
C. Seiko Hashimoto
D. Tomomi Inada