Japan’s PM Sanae Takaichi Poised for Historic Victory in General Election

Japan’s current Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is on track for a decisive victory in the country’s general election, held on Sunday. Her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has already secured a single-party majority, according to exit polls and early results. Projections indicate that Takaichi’s coalition could win two-thirds of the seats in the lower house of parliament.

Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister in October of last year. Barely three months into her tenure, she called for early elections, leveraging her popularity to consolidate power. Amid rising living costs and increasing tensions with China, Japanese voters responded positively to Takaichi’s conservative policies and strong defense stance.

Japan’s 465-seat lower house requires 233 seats for a majority. Within 90 minutes of the polls closing, the LDP surpassed this threshold on its own. According to the national broadcaster NHK, the LDP and its allied coalition are projected to win over 300 seats, marking one of the party’s strongest performances in history.

The main opposition, the Centrist Reform Alliance, has faced a major setback. Analysts suggest that the alliance failed to attract voters after the Kometo Party exited the LDP coalition last year.

Despite heavy snowfall in many regions, voter turnout remained high. Out of approximately 104 million registered voters, many braved the snow to cast their ballots. While some areas experienced travel disruptions due to weather, the overall election results were largely unaffected.

During her campaign, Takaichi emphasized her “Sanaenomics” economic stimulus package and a boosted defense budget. Analysts believe her victory will give her unprecedented authority to pursue constitutional amendments and implement more robust defense policies.

Key Figures:

Total seats: 465

Majority required: 233

LDP projection: Single-party majority, 300+ seats possible

Main opposition: Centrist Reform Alliance (facing major losses)

Political commentators view Takaichi’s victory as ushering in a new era in Japanese politics, with national security and defense policy taking center stage.