A dominant result for the ruling party
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is set for a commanding victory after snap elections, with early estimates showing her ruling bloc securing a two-thirds majority in the lower house. Media projections suggest the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) alone could win around 300 of the chamber’s 465 seats, a dramatic jump from its previous tally and its strongest showing since 2017 under former prime minister Shinzo Abe. The result could even give the LDP a supermajority without relying on coalition partners.
LDP secretary general Shunichi Suzuki said voters had endorsed Takaichi’s “responsible and proactive” economic agenda, as well as her push to strengthen Japan’s defence capabilities. Meanwhile, the main opposition alliance led by the Constitutional Democratic Party suffered heavy losses, while the anti-immigration Sanseito party made modest gains.
A swift turnaround for the LDP
Takaichi, 64, has rapidly rebuilt public support for the LDP after it was battered by inflation worries and corruption scandals. A former heavy-metal drummer and longtime admirer of Margaret Thatcher, she was once considered part of the party’s hardline fringe. Since becoming Japan’s first woman prime minister last October, however, she has struck a chord with voters, particularly younger ones.
Her early months in office featured a massive $135 billion stimulus package to ease rising living costs, followed by a campaign pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food. Still, challenges loom. Japan’s debt remains more than twice the size of its economy, and surging long-term bond yields have unsettled markets at home and abroad.
China tensions add a geopolitical edge
Takaichi’s decisive win may also strain relations with Beijing. Seen as a China hawk even before taking office, she raised eyebrows by suggesting Japan could intervene militarily if China attempted to seize Taiwan by force. The comments drew a furious response from China, which summoned Japan’s ambassador, warned its citizens about travel to Japan, and held joint military drills with Russia.
With her political authority now strengthened, Takaichi faces the twin tests of stabilising Japan’s economy and navigating an increasingly tense regional landscape — both of which will shape how her landslide victory is ultimately judged.
