Military Space News
SINO DAILY
Japan PM Takaichi basks in historic election triumph

Japan PM Takaichi basks in historic election triumph

By Hiroshi HIYAMA
Tokyo (AFP) Feb 9, 2026

Japanese shares rose to record highs Monday after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's conservatives won a historic election landslide with a projected two-thirds majority.

If confirmed, the outcome puts Japan's first female premier in a powerful position to stamp her mark on the country of 123 million people over the next four years.

Takaichi said she felt a "heavy responsibility" to make the country more successful after the victory.

"This is the start of a heavy, heavy responsibility to make Japan stronger, more prosperous," Takaichi told a news conference.

Her agenda includes higher defence spending, potentially changing the constitution, and tougher immigration rules despite a falling population.

The first two make China nervous, and the region will be watching closely to see if she ups or lowers the temperature after enraging Beijing in November with comments about Taiwan.

Beijing warned Tokyo on Monday that reckless actions would be met with a "resolute response".

- Honeymoon -

Capitalising on her honeymoon start after becoming Japan's fifth premier in as many years in October, Takaichi called the snap election last month.

The gamble paid off, with her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) winning around 316 of the 465 seats contested.

That takes the party past the 310-seat threshold needed for a two-thirds majority for the first time in its history.

US President Donald Trump -- who is due to host Takaichi next month -- congratulated her after an earlier endorsement.

"I wish you Great Success in passing your Conservative, Peace Through Strength Agenda," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The president of South Korea, whose relations with Japan have long been dogged by historical issues, congratulated Takaichi and said he hopes "that we will continue to build trust".

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te said he hoped the victory would provide "a secure future to Japan and its regional partners."

- Drummer -

A heavy metal drummer in her youth, Takaichi was an admirer of Britain's "Iron Lady" Margaret Thatcher, and on the ultra-conservative fringe of the LDP when she became party chief.

Despite being her country's first woman premier, Takaichi has shown little appetite for framing her leadership around gender in male-dominated Japanese politics.

She has been a hit with voters, especially young ones, with fans lapping up everything from her handbag to her jamming to a K-pop song with South Korea's president.

But she will have to deliver on the economy to remain popular.

The LDP has governed Japan almost non-stop for decades but shed support in recent elections because of unhappiness about rising prices and corruption.

"With prices rising like this, what matters most to me is what policies they'll adopt to deal with inflation," voter Chika Sakamoto, 50, told AFP at a voting station in snowy Tokyo on Sunday.

But helping households could make markets jittery about Japan's colossal debts, which are more than twice the size of the economy.

This was shown by yields on long-dated Japanese bonds hitting record highs during the election campaign after Takaichi floated suspending a food tax.

Tokyo's Nikkei index of stocks jumped more than five percent early Monday and closed 3.9 percent higher.

Takaichi reiterated on Sunday her mantra of having a "responsible" fiscal policy but added that she wanted "to build a strong and resilient economy."

"In reality, the policies of a Takaichi administration are unlikely to curb the inflation that voters expect her to address," said Tetsuo Kotani at the Japan Institute of International Affairs.

"An income tax hike linked to increased defence spending will also be unavoidable. If these policies lead to a triple decline in stocks, the yen, and government bonds, people's lives will become even more difficult," Kotani told AFP.

- War shrine -

Before becoming prime minister, Takaichi was seen as a China hawk.

She was a regular visitor to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours convicted war criminals along with 2.5 million war dead and is seen as a symbol of Japan's militarist past.

Takaichi said Sunday she aimed to get "proper understanding" from Japan's neighbours before visiting the site again.

Barely two weeks in office, Takaichi suggested that Japan could intervene militarily if Beijing sought to take self-ruled Taiwan by force.

China, which regards the democratic island as part of its territory and has not ruled out force to annex it, was furious.

On Monday, a spokesman for China's foreign ministry urged Japan to retract the comments and warned of consequences for any rash actions.

"If the far-right forces in Japan misjudge the situation and act recklessly, they will inevitably face resistance from the Japanese people and a resolute response from the international community," spokesman Lin Jian told a regular news conference.

Related Links
China News from SinoDaily.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
SINO DAILY
Exiled Tibetans choose leaders for lost homeland
Dehradun, India (AFP) Feb 1, 2026
Exiled Tibetans began a unique global election on Sunday for a government representing a homeland many have never seen, as part of a democratic exercise voters say carries great weight. From red-robed Buddhist monks in the snowy Himalayas, to political exiles in megacities across South Asia, to refugees in Australia, Europe and North America, voting will take place in 27 countries - but not China. "Elections... show that the struggle for Tibet's freedom and independence continues from generatio ... read more

SINO DAILY
Leonardo DRS infrared payloads selected for SDA Tracking Layer Tranche 3

AST SpaceMobile secures role on MDA SHIELD defense architecture

Greenland is helpful, but not vital, for US missile defense

Netanyahu says Israel won't let Iran restore ballistic missile programme

SINO DAILY
Russian strikes kill 4, wound two dozen in Ukraine

Japan and US agree to expand cooperation on missiles, military drills

Russia claims Oreshnik missile hit Ukrainian aviation plant

North Korea tests hypersonic missiles, says nuclear forces ready for war

SINO DAILY
Drone attacks on Ethiopia's restive Tigray kill one

Poland signs deals for 'Europe's most modern' anti-drone system

Energy learning algorithm boosts complex UAV swarm tasking

India accuses Pakistan of cross-border drone incursions in Kashmir

SINO DAILY
Balerion backs Northwood to tackle ground bottlenecks in expanding space economy

Aalyria spacetime platform tapped for AFRL space data network trials

W5 Technologies LEO payload extends MUOS coverage into polar and remote theaters

Eutelsat orders 340 new OneWeb LEO satellites from Airbus

SINO DAILY
Japan, Philippines agree military resupply deal

Cyviz awarded two classified NATO defense contracts for mission critical visualization systems

Japan govt approves record budget, including for defence

German defence giants battle over military spending ramp-up

SINO DAILY
US approves approves major arms deals to Israel, Saudi

'Bombshell': What top general's fall means for China's military

'Bombshell': What top general's fall means for China's military

Defence firm CSG raises 3.8bln euros in 'largest-ever' IPO

SINO DAILY
China's Xi urges 'central role' of UN in call with Brazil's Lula

Britain's Starmer ends China trip aimed at reset despite Trump warning

Britain, Japan agree to deepen defence ties; Saudi-Pakistan mutual defence pact won't include Turkey

Greece, France working to renew defence pact

SINO DAILY
Engineered substrates sharpen single nanoparticle plasmon spectra

Bright emission from hidden quantum states demonstrated in nanotechnology breakthrough

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.