TOKYO: Official campaigning began in Japan on Tuesday ahead of a snap election on Feb. 8. Here are five key issues in a high-stakes vote where Prime Minister <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/japans-ruling-party-elects-sanae-takaichi-as-new-leader-likely-to-become-first-female-pm" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Sanae Takaichi</a>has laid her political future on the line. Race to the pollsCandidates&#39; posters are up, vans topped with loudspeakers are cruising the streets, and Takaichi held her first rally Tuesday in central Tokyo, where dozens gathered to hear her speak. The lower house of parliament was officially dissolved on Jan. 23, 16 days before the vote -- the shortest window between the two in the postwar era. Yet the brevity of this pre-election period &quot;will likely not have much of an effect&quot;, said Michael Cucek, assistant professor of Asian Studies at Temple University&#39;s Japan Campus. &quot;There is no need for time to introduce or explain anything: the parties are offering strikingly similar policy programmes,&quot; he told AFP, adding that the weather would likely have more impact on voter turnout, with severe snowstorms hitting the north. Takaichi&#39;s slipping popularityAppointed in October as Japan&#39;s first woman prime minister, hardline nationalist Takaichi is banking on strong poll numbers to boost her unpopular Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which holds only a slim majority in the powerful lower house. Takaichi has staked her political future on the vote, saying she will resign immediately if her coalition fails to win a majority. Her government&#39;s once sky-high popularity, while still solid, has started to slip: its approval rating fell from 75% in December to 67%, according to a survey by the Nikkei newspaper. Voters are raising questions over a recent tax-cut pledge to counter inflation and how it would be financed, while many are also frustrated by the snap election, which has slowed parliamentary debate on the 2026-27 budget. Ryutaro Kono, chief economist at BNP Paribas, said that &quot;the surveys ... suggest that the prime minister&#39;s popularity does not necessarily translate into a significant increase in votes for the Liberal Democratic Party.&quot; &quot;Delaying the passage of the budget to proceed with the general election likely caused a significant number of supporters to leave (Takaichi).&quot; Rivals uniteFacing the LDP -- a powerful party that has governed Japan almost continuously since 1955 -- and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), opposition forces have vowed to fight. The Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) and the small Buddhist Komeito party -- a former LDP coalition partner -- are joining forces under a &quot;Centrist Reform Alliance.&quot; Analysts believe the election could be tight depending on the success of the new alliance, but the opposition&#39;s chances of victory remain slim. &quot;There are no significant policy differences among the parties. This election is shaping up as a referendum on Takaichi,&quot; Hideo Kumano, an economist at the Dai-ichi Life Research Institute, told AFP. Inflation looms largeJapan has grappled with a surge in living costs in recent years, and public anger over inflation played a major role in the downfall of Shigeru Ishiba, Takaichi&#39;s predecessor. Seeking to ease the pain, Takaichi unveiled in November a $135 billion stimulus package and, if elected, has pledged to waive the consumption tax on food for two years, joining opposition promises to cut various taxes. This risks further inflating the country&#39;s already colossal debt, rattling bond markets and reviving memories of the short-lived British leader Liz Truss, who resigned after alarming investors. According to the Nikkei poll published Monday, 56% of Japanese believe the promised tax exemption would not be effective against inflation. Takaichi defended the measure on Monday, saying she was paying &quot;considerable attention to fiscal sustainability.&quot; Foreigners, diplomacy&nbsp;Another voter concern is the role of foreigners in Japan, although immigration levels there remain low compared with those of other rich economies. Sanseito, a populist anti-immigration party, made a notable breakthrough in mid-2025 upper house elections. Sanae Takaichi is promising a clampdown. On Friday, a cabinet meeting proposed tougher action against foreigners staying illegally and stricter controls on property buyers, while pledging support for those who have the right to stay. International issues may also loom over the campaign. Takaichi, who rolled out the red carpet for US President Donald Trump, played drums with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, and took selfies with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has thrown herself onto the diplomatic stage. But relations with Beijing have worsened since she suggested in November that Tokyo could intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan. In retaliation, Beijing announced tighter export controls to Japan, and the economic cost of this diplomatic crisis is worrying Japanese voters.

Japan's Prime Minister and President of the Liberal Democratic Party Sanae Takaichi delivers her first campaign speech for the House of Representatives election in Tokyo on January 27, 2026. (Photo by Kazuhiro NOGI / AFP)

Asia

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi faces slipping approval ratings, rising inflation concerns, a fragile parliamentary majority and a newly unified opposition, as voters weigh economic strain, foreign policy risks and domestic political stability.

Japan's election campaign kicks off: Five things to know

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dissolved parliament on Friday ahead of a snap election on February 8, counting on her cabinet&#39;s high poll numbers to steer her otherwise unpopular ruling party to victory. The country&#39;s <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/sanae-takaichi-becomes-japans-first-female-prime-minister" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">first woman premier</a> had announced her intentions on Monday, seeking public backing for measures to shield households from rising living costs and increase spending on defense. &lsquo;Banzai&rsquo;The speaker of parliament on Friday read out a letter, officially dissolving the lower house as lawmakers shouted the traditional rallying cry of &quot;banzai&quot;. The ruling coalition of Takaichi&#39;s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) has only a slim majority in the powerful lower chamber. Takaichi is hoping widespread support for her cabinet will help deliver her a stronger mandate, even though the LDP itself is battling low approval ratings and a string of scandals. &lsquo;High public support&rsquo;&quot;It&#39;s not clear if high public support for the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/who-is-sanae-takaichi-the-woman-set-to-lead-japan" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Takaichi </a>cabinet will actually lead to support of the LDP,&quot; Hidehiro Yamamoto, a politics professor at the University of Tsukuba, told AFP. &quot;What the public are concerned about is measures to address inflation,&quot; he said. On Friday, closely watched government data showed the country&#39;s inflation rate slowed in Dec., largely thanks to government subsidies for electricity and gas. The 2.4% year-on-year rise in consumer prices, which excludes volatile fresh food, compared to 3% in November -- a notable slowdown, although higher than the central bank&#39;s 2% target. Public discontent&nbsp;Public discontent over rising prices largely contributed to the downfall of Shigeru Ishiba, whom Takaichi succeeded in Oct. While Japan was long haunted by deflation, it has more recently faced a surge in living costs and a chronically weak yen that has made imports more expensive. Rice has become a symbol: its price more than doubled in mid-2025 compared to a year earlier, before easing in recent months. Fourth-largest economyThe price of the grain rose more than 34% in December compared to last year, official data showed Friday. Vowing to address the issue and shore up the world&#39;s fourth-largest economy, Takaichi&#39;s cabinet approved a record 122.3-trillion-yen ($770 billion) budget for the fiscal year from April 2026. But rivals say dissolving the lower house risks delaying its passage through parliament, with Jun Azumi of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) saying it would &quot;sacrifice livelihoods&quot;. Tax relief&nbsp;If elected, Takaichi has pledged to cut a sales tax on food for a two-year period to &ldquo;alleviate the burden&rdquo; on people struggling with inflation. Opposition parties are also calling for the tax relief. But Takaichi&#39;s &ldquo;proactive&rdquo; fiscal spending risks inflating the country&#39;s already colossal debt, which is expected to exceed 230% of GDP in the fiscal year 2025-26.&nbsp;Takaichi says the policy is &quot;responsible&quot;. The prospect of tax cuts roiled the bond market this week, after it was already rattled by the massive stimulus plan and worried about fiscal slippage financed by debt. Yields on Japanese government bonds have soared, signaling investor distrust. The Bank of Japan (BOJ), which is responsible for price stability, left its key interest rate unchanged at 0.75% in a policy decision Friday after a two-day meeting. It has raised its key interest rates several times since early 2024 to rein in inflation. The BOJ predicted that consumer price inflation will fall below 2% year-on-year during the first half of 2026, noting the government&#39;s measures against inflation. Centrist alliance&nbsp;The LDP has governed Japan almost uninterrupted for decades, albeit with frequent leader changes. The CDP has joined forces with another party, Komeito, hoping their new Centrist Reform Alliance can draw swing voters away from Takaichi. Analysts say the election could be a close battle depending on the success of the alliance, but the opposition&#39;s chances of winning remain slim. &quot;The key could be the voting behavior of young and middle-aged groups, as was the case in the upper house election&quot; in July, Mizuho Research &amp; Technologies said in a note. The Takaichi government enjoys around 90% support among those under 30, according to a poll published at the end of December by the conservative Sankei Shimbun newspaper and Fuji Television.

She is hoping widespread support for her cabinet will help deliver her a stronger mandate even though the LDP itself is battling low approval ratings and a string of scandals.

Japan PM Takaichi dissolves parliament for snap election

TOKYO: Japan&rsquo;s parliament elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country&rsquo;s first female prime minister Tuesday, a day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal with a new partner expected to pull her governing bloc further to the right. Takaichi replaces Shigeru Ishiba, ending a three-month political vacuum and infighting since the Liberal Democratic Party&rsquo;s election loss in July. Ishiba, who lasted only one year as prime minister, resigned with his Cabinet earlier in the day, paving the way for his successor. Takaichi won 237 votes &mdash; four more than a majority &mdash; compared to 149 for Yoshiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, in the lower house, which elects the prime minister. As the results were announced, Takaichi stood and bowed deeply. The Liberal Democratic Party&rsquo;s alliance with the Osaka-based Japan Innovation Party, known as Ishin no Kai, ensured her premiership because the opposition remains divided. The coalition still lacks a majority in both houses of parliament and will need to court other groups to pass legislation &mdash; a challenge that could make her government unstable. &ldquo;Political stability is essential right now,&rdquo; Takaichi said Monday at the coalition signing ceremony with Japan Innovation Party leader and Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura. &ldquo;Without stability, we cannot push measures for a strong economy or diplomacy.&rdquo; The agreement reflects Takaichi&rsquo;s nationalist positions. The deal followed the Liberal Democrats&rsquo; split with the Buddhist-backed Komeito party, which has a more centrist stance. The breakup threatened a change of power for the Liberal Democrats, which have governed Japan almost continuously for decades. Later Tuesday, Takaichi, 64, is expected to present a Cabinet filled with allies of Liberal Democratic Party heavyweight Taro Aso and others who supported her in the party leadership race. Yoshimura said the Japan Innovation Party will not take Cabinet posts until it gains confidence in its partnership with the ruling party. Takaichi faces immediate challenges, including rising prices and slowing growth. She is expected to deliver a major policy speech later this week and hold talks with US President Donald Trump, as well as regional leaders. She has pledged to announce economic stimulus measures by December to ease public frustration. While breaking barriers as Japan&rsquo;s first female leader, Takaichi has shown little enthusiasm for advancing gender equality. She opposes same-sex marriage, allowing separate surnames for married couples, and permitting women in the imperial line of succession. A prot&eacute;g&eacute; of slain former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi is expected to continue his policies of strengthening Japan&rsquo;s military and revising its pacifist constitution. However, with limited parliamentary control, analysts say it remains uncertain how much she can achieve. An admirer of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi entered parliament in 1993 and has held senior roles, including minister of economic security and minister of internal affairs, though she has limited diplomatic experience. Komeito&rsquo;s departure from the ruling coalition followed frustration over corruption scandals and concerns about Takaichi&rsquo;s revisionist views on Japan&rsquo;s wartime history, including her visits to Tokyo&rsquo;s Yasukuni Shrine &mdash; regarded by China and South Korea as a symbol of militarism. In a recent gesture to ease regional tensions, Takaichi sent a religious offering instead of visiting the shrine in person on Friday.

Lawmakers applaud as Sanae Takaichi, standing, was elected as Japan's new prime minister during the extraordinary session of the lower house, in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Japan’s parliament elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first female prime minister Tuesday, a day after her struggling party struck a coalition deal with a new partner expected to pull her governing bloc further to the right.

Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan's first female prime minister

TOKYO: Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba &rsquo;s ruling party opened official campaigning Monday to find his replacement who can restore political stability and voter support for the beleaguered Liberal Democrats.&nbsp;Five candidates are vying for the Liberal Democratic Party&#39;s top job ahead of a highly unpredictable vote in early October. The race has a slogan: &ldquo;Change, LDP.&rdquo;&nbsp;The winner must act quickly to address rising prices if the party is to have any chance of winning back support following devastating losses to both the LDP and its junior partner Komeito in the past year, which deprived their coalition of a majority in either house of parliament.&nbsp;Its new leader is still likely to be the prime minister because the LDP remains the No. 1 party, while opposition groups are too splintered to form a coalition.&nbsp;Whoever becomes the LDP leader must also gain cooperation from the main opposition parties or risk facing constant no-confidence motions and a cycle of short-lived leadership.&nbsp;Vote for LDP parliamentarians and membersThe Oct. 4 vote is not open to the general public. It is limited to 295 LDP parliamentarians and 1 million dues-paying grassroots party members. That&rsquo;s less than 1% of Japan&#39;s eligible voters.&nbsp;A candidate who secures a majority becomes a party leader. If nobody wins a majority, there will be a runoff between the top two candidates in the first round.&nbsp;To be elected as prime minister, the new party leader will need votes from some opposition lawmakers in a parliamentary leadership vote, to be held within days.&nbsp;5 serving and former ministers in the raceAll five candidates are incumbent and former Cabinet ministers. They call themselves moderate conservatives as they emphasize their willingness to work with opposition groups. Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi are considered the top contenders.&nbsp;Here&#39;s a rundown of the candidates:Shinjiro Koizumi, 44: The son of a popular former prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi, makes his second bid after running against Ishiba last year when he campaigned to reform the scandal-laden party. As agriculture minister for Ishiba, Koizumi released an emergency rice stockpile to lower prices and stabilize supply. Koizumi vowed to rebuild his party and listen to the people&#39;s voices more closely to address their concerns, such as rising prices, growing foreign population and public safety. If elected, he will be Japan&#39;s youngest leader since Hirobumi Ito, who in 1885 became the first Japanese premier at 44.&nbsp;Sanae Takaichi, 64: A prot&eacute;g&eacute;e of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi lost to Ishiba last year in the runoff. A wartime history revisionist and China hawk, she regularly visits Yasukuni Shrine seen by Beijing and Seoul as a symbol of militarism. She supports more public spending and investment for growth and a strong military. She backs paternalistic family values and opposes a female emperor, as well as a revision to civil law to allow an option of keeping separate surnames for married couples &mdash; a change sought by rights groups so that women aren&#39;t pressured into abandoning their names.&nbsp;Yoshimasa Hayashi, 64: Chief Cabinet secretary of Ishiba&#39;s government, Hayashi is a moderate who promises steady wage increases, a strong economy, and a robust defence. He has served in a number of other key Cabinet posts, including foreign, defense and education ministers. The Harvard-educated politician is fluent in English. He sings and plays the guitar and piano in a pop band Gi!ns, which he formed with three fellow parliamentarians to make politics approachable.&nbsp;Toshimitsu Motegi, 69: Another Harvard graduate, Motegi has served in key posts including foreign and trade ministers and is known as a tough trade negotiator during U.S. President Donald Trump&#39;s first term. Motegi said the Japan-U.S. alliance is key to his country&#39;s diplomacy and that deepening the &ldquo;relationship of trust&rdquo; with Trump is essential.&nbsp;Takayuki Kobayashi, 50: A former economic security minister who promises strong growth, defense and national unity, Kobayashi is ultra-conservative and may split votes with Takaichi. Nicknamed Koba-Hawk, he promises a tougher restriction on foreign workers and says Japan&#39;s defense spending target of 2% of GDP is insufficient.&nbsp;A first female prime minister?If elected, Takaichi, an ex-newscaster whose role model is former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, will be Japan&#39;s first female prime minister. The country ranks near the bottom internationally in terms of gender equality, particularly in politics.&nbsp;Some experts worry that the hardline conservatives would set back women&rsquo;s advancement. Others say her revisionist views of Japan&#39;s wartime history may complicate ties with Beijing and Seoul.&nbsp;In a policy speech on Friday, Takaichi said she wants good ties with China, as an important neighbor and that her harsh comments about China are mostly related to economics. She did not say she would visit Yasukuni if she became prime minister but stressed her &ldquo;gratitude&rdquo; for those who sacrificed their lives for the country and are enshrined at Yasukuni.&nbsp;Cooperation with opposition is keyCooperation with opposition parties is vital as Japan faces a tense security environment and Trump is now expected to demand greater defense spending, experts say. Although still uncertain, cooperation between the ruling coalition and the key opposition, particularly in the area of security, is possible and could contribute to political stability.&nbsp;The new LDP leader and prime minister will need help from either or both of the center-right opposition groups, the Japan Innovation Party, or Ishin, and the Democratic Party for the People, with which the LDP has collaborated on budget bills.&nbsp;Koizumi has approached Ishin and, in August, visited the Osaka Expo, where party leader and Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura escorted him. Hayashi reportedly met with a senior Ishin lawmaker over dinner recently, while Motegi announced his willingness to form a coalition with the two parties.

Japan's Former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi 

Five candidates vie to replace Japan’s PM Ishiba as LDP leader, with Koizumi and Takaichi leading.

Articles tagged with "Sanae Takaichi"

Japan's election campaign kicks off: Five things to know

Japan PM Takaichi dissolves parliament for snap election

Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan's first female prime minister

Japan's ruling party opens leadership race to choose Ishiba's successor