Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party won the snap election for the lower house of parliament, validating Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s decision to call the vote on January 19. Before the election, the LDP held 198 of 465 seats, while its ally, the Innovation Party, had 34. According to preliminary results, they have now secured 316 and 36 seats respectively, giving the coalition enough strength to pass the legislation it needs.
Takaichi, who became prime minister on October 21, 2025 after Shigeru Ishiba resigned, openly tied the election to her personal legitimacy. When announcing the dissolution, she said she was putting her political future at stake and letting voters decide directly whether they trusted her to lead the country. Her personal approval rating was estimated at around 78%.
The main issue of the campaign was the economy. The victory gives the government a mandate to implement a program dubbed “Sanaenomics.” Takaichi argues that decades of excessive fiscal restraint led to underinvestment in critical sectors. Her core measures include a two-year suspension of the 8% consumption tax on food and beverages, as well as lower fuel prices, support for electricity and gas bills, subsidies for regions and families, broader tax deductions, and increased funding for medical and social institutions.
“Strategic public investment will raise employment, incomes, consumption, and tax revenues without increasing tax rates,” the prime minister said.
Her economic course remains controversial. For 2026, the government forecasts nominal GDP growth of 3.4%, real wage growth of 1.3%, and inflation at 1.9%. Critics, however, point to the weakening yen, rising government bond yields, and public debt at about 260% of GDP. They also cite rapid population aging and record-low birth rates as additional sources of concern.
After the election, Takaichi has more room to advance both a tougher migration agenda and a stronger defense policy. Her administration has formally set a goal of raising military spending to 2% of GDP by March 2026, two years ahead of the previous timetable. Total defense spending, including supplementary allocations, has reached 11 trillion yen. The prime minister also supports revising key defense documents and strengthening intelligence, cyber, and space security.
In foreign policy, Tokyo plans to deepen ties with the United States and other allies, while relations with China have already worsened sharply. One reason was Takaichi’s statement that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could create a situation “threatening Japan’s survival.” In response, Beijing suspended imports of Japanese seafood and curtailed cultural exchanges. In dealings with Russia, Takaichi has maintained support for Ukraine and sanctions pressure, while Japanese media reported that she also sent Moscow a message stressing the importance of bilateral ties and the expectation of a ceasefire.