Sanae Takaichi’s landslide victory in Japan’s February 8 snap election marks one of the most striking political comebacks in its recent history. When Ms. Takaichi became Japan’s first woman Prime Minister in October 2025, the LDP, which has led Japan for all but four years since 1955, was reeling from back-to-back electoral setbacks and internal scandals. A conservative nationalist closely aligned with the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, she advanced a distinctly Trumpian agenda with Japanese characteristics. While her victory as the first woman Prime Minister is historic, it is shaped by a paradox: the conservative ideology that defines her politics. Although Ms. Takaichi enjoys warm ties with U.S. President Donald Trump, she also faces pressure from Washington to move towards a more militarised security posture.

Source: The Hindu February 10, 2026 18:54 UTC