Japan’s Sanae Takaichi Basks in Record Majority After Snap Election

Calling a snap election was a risky gamble for Sanae Takaichi—her career was on the line. But the result has proven to be a historic success, with her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) securing the strongest majority in Japanese government in more than 70 years. Here’s how this unapologetic conservative, who Trump has lavished praise on, pulled it off.

A Surge in Popularity

In the four months since becoming leader, Takaichi had skyrocketed in popularity, galvanizing typically disengaged young voters and reshaping Japan’s political landscape, which for decades was dominated by older men. This mass appeal translated to a landslide victory on Sunday, securing the LDP a historic two-thirds supermajority in the lower house of parliament—the first time a single party has achieved this since World War II.

A Much-Needed Win for the LDP

The win is a much-needed boost for the LDP, which has been working hard to rehabilitate its public image. Though the LDP has historically been dominant in Japan, recent years have seen it weighed down by election losses, stubborn inflation, and political scandals. Longtime supporters have jumped ship, viewing the party as too old-fashioned and center-leaning, and instead flocked to new right-wing parties.

Reforming Conservativism

Takaichi was seen as a potential answer to these challenges. However, conservativism in Japan looks a little different than in the United States. Socially, she opposes same-sex marriage, supports patriotic education, and advocates for maintaining Japan’s single-surname system, which makes it harder for women to keep their maiden names.

Japan’s conservative leader bets big on Takaichi mania with snap election. Will her gamble pay off?

Constitutional Ambitions

She has advocated revising Japan’s pacifist constitution, including the article that renounces war. On Monday, she said she would “persistently work” to revise the constitution, though did not specify which parts she wants to change.

Big Government and Global Ties

Economically, Takaichi backs big government and just passed a record-breaking spending budget. Despite her role in an ultranationalist lobby, she isn’t anti-globalist; she has recently reaffirmed ties with the US, the UK, Italy, and South Korea, despite decades of tension rooted in Japan’s brutal occupation of the Korean Peninsula.

An Unconventional Leader

Takaichi is also an unconventional candidate in her country’s normally staid, formal political landscape. She rides motorbikes, plays the drums, enjoys heavy metal, and unlike many of her male peers, doesn’t come from a political dynasty; her father worked for a car company and her mother was a police officer.

The widespread excitement—dubbed by some media outlets as “Sana-mania”—

reflects the public’s desire for LDP reform and the nationwide rightward shift in politics. It is also a testament to Takaichi’s star power, which has whipped up public enthusiasm to levels not seen for years, especially among young Japanese.