Japan's conservative governing coalition has dramatically strengthened its grip on power after a landslide victory in Sunday's elections, seen as an early public endorsement of the new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won 316 seats, comfortably surpassing the 261 needed for an absolute majority in the 465-member lower house, the highest number since the party was founded in 1955.
With coalition partner the Japan Innovation Party winning 36 seats, Takaichi now has a supermajority of two-thirds of seats, easing her legislative agenda as she can override the upper chamber, which she does not control. The 64-year-old, who called a snap election soon after becoming Japan's first female prime minister last autumn, had vowed to resign if her coalition failed to secure a simple majority.
Takaichi sought to appeal to voters with a 21tn yen (£99bn) stimulus package and a promise to suspend the 8% consumption tax on food for two years. However, her spending plans have rattled financial markets and caused currency volatility, given that Japan's debt is more than twice its GDP. Speaking as exit polls showed her party cruising to victory, Takaichi emphasised responsible fiscal policy while ensuring necessary investments.
After meetings with Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, Takaichi sparked a row with Beijing in November by suggesting Japan could become involved militarily in the event of a Chinese attempt to invade Taiwan. China urged tourists not to visit Japan, citing safety concerns, and the dispute has disrupted cultural exchanges. Takaichi's refusal to withdraw her remarks may have angered Beijing but played well with many voters.
Analysts suggest the victory could give Takaichi room to repair Sino-Japanese ties, but if she follows through with consumption tax cuts, markets could react swiftly. Blizzard conditions in some regions made voting a test of endurance, but voters like Kazushige Cho expressed determination to support the LDP, citing Takaichi's strong leadership.
