Sanae Takaichi Wins Big in Japanese Election

On February 8, 2026, Japan held its House of Representatives election, in which the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) led by Sanae Takaichi and its allies achieved a sweeping victory, marking a rare post-war outcome and being seen as a key turning point in Japanese political history.

Under Takaichi’s leadership, the LDP alone won over 316 seats, far exceeding the lower house’s 233-seat majority threshold, marking the party’s strongest single-party performance since the LDP system was formed in 1955. With an alliance with the Japan Innovation Party, total seats reached or exceeded a two-thirds supermajority, giving the government significant leeway in legislation, budgeting, and institutional reforms. The victory also broke the post-war record for a single party surpassing 300 seats, signaling concentrated voter support for the current system and Takaichi’s policies.

The election occurred amid rising economic pressures, regional security risks, and global geopolitical uncertainty. Takaichi successfully framed “strong executive capability,” “national security priority,” and “policy stability” as core appeals, consolidating traditional supporters while attracting anxious centrist voters, highlighting the opposition’s weakness in policy narrative and organizational mobilization.

Takaichi’s victory has drawn close attention from both China and the United States. Her nationalist stance and security-focused policies have further strained Japan-China relations. Especially after publicly discussing Japan’s possible military response to China regarding Taiwan, Beijing issued strong criticism and began adjusting its strategy and public messaging toward Japan.

US President Donald Trump also publicly endorsed Takaichi and plans to invite her to the White House. The international community is closely watching whether Japan will take a more proactive or even confrontational role amid heightened US-China competition, making Takaichi’s balancing of strong voter mandate and regional stability a key early challenge.