In the four months since Takaichi’s election as party leader, Japan has been swept up in “Sanakatsu” (さな活) and “Sana-mania” (サナマニア). Japanese leaders often enjoy a honeymoon period, but Takaichi’s popularity is categorically different than her predecessors: A December Sankei News/FNN poll found 92 percent support among 18-to-29-year-old voters; multiple other surveys put the figure above 80 percent. Jeff Kingston, a professor of Asian studies at Temple University Japan, told TMD that Takaichi represented a notable departure from other LDP leaders. “If you look in this century, Japan’s had three strong leaders,” David Boling, a principal at The Asia Group, told TMD. The other notable change in this election was that Takaichi became the first LDP leader to address immigration and improper tourist behavior.

Source: New York Times February 09, 2026 17:15 UTC