Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), speaks during a press conference at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo on Feb. 9, 2026. Franck Robichon / POOL / AFP via Getty Images
Buoyed by recent electoral wins, Takaichi is moving the country to a defensive posture against China.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), speaks during a press conference at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo on Feb. 9, 2026. Franck Robichon / POOL / AFP via Getty Images
Buoyed by recent electoral wins, Takaichi is moving the country to a defensive posture against China.
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February 22, 2026Updated:February 22, 2026
News Analysis
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi emerged from a snap election on Feb. 8 with a mandate rare in postwar politics: a two-thirds supermajority in the more powerful lower house.
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