by WorldTribune Staff, February 8, 2026 Real World News

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling coalition defied powerful Chinese Communist Party influence networks in Japan and secured a remarkable supermajority victory in parliamentary’s elections on Sunday, winning more than 75% of the seats in the lower house.

Takaichi’s move to call a snap only three months after taking office was seen as risky. Voters on Sunday weighed in on Takaichi’s coalition with the conservative Japan Innovation Party and on her proposals to increase fiscal and defense spending amid escalating tensions with China.

The gamble “was that her straight-talking appeal to voters would cement her grip on power amid challenges including sluggish economic growth and worsening relations with Beijing,” the Wall Street Journal reported.

“We stand at a crossroads that will profoundly transform our nation,” Takaichi said Saturday in a message on social media, urging supporters to turn out and vote despite heavy snowfall in several parts of the country.

Related: Xi lobbies Trump in continued all-out attack on Japan’s CCP-wary PM, November 24, 2025

Takaichi said on Sunday that she called the election to seek a popular verdict on her economic plans. “We couldn’t run without seeking the people’s trust,” she said in a television interview.

Japan under Takaichi also doubled down on its alliance with the United States.

Takaichi said in November that Japan would respond to any military conflict over the self-ruled island democracy, which Beijing views as a Chinese territory to be seized by force if necessary.

“Beijing reacted angrily, saying Taiwan is a purely domestic affair,” the Journal’s report said. “Reprisals have included squeezing Japanese companies’ access to critical minerals and magnets that are essential to manufacturing. But Takaichi has declined to retract her remarks, saying she was only stating longstanding, if largely unspoken, Japanese policy.”

Rather than quickly seeking to placate the CCP, like many of her predecessor, the new PM held her ground and refused to apologize or equivocate.

Takaichi and U.S. President Donald Trump struck up a rapport when Trump visited Tokyo in October, together hailing a new golden age of U.S.-Japan relations.

Trump posted to Truth Social on Feb. 5:

The Great Country of Japan is having a very important Legislative Election on Sunday, February 8, 2026. The results of this Election are very important to the future of Japan. The Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, has already proven to be a strong, powerful, and wise Leader, and one that truly loves her Country. I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Takaichi to the White House on March 19th. In my visit to Japan I, and all of my Representatives, were extremely impressed with her.

In addition to National Security, the United States and Japan have worked closely together on making a very substantial Trade Deal, one that strongly benefits both Countries. Prime Minister Takaichi is someone who deserves powerful recognition for the job she and her Coalition are doing and, therefore, as President of the United States of America, it is my Honor to give a Complete and Total Endorsement of her, and what her highly respected Coalition is representing. SHE WILL NOT LET THE PEOPLE OF JAPAN DOWN! Good luck on your very important Sunday Vote. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP

The Japanese leader is due to travel to Washington for a summit with Trump next month, where among other things she will be seeking reassurance that the U.S. remains committed to regional security in Asia. The U.S. has around 60,000 military personnel stationed in Japan.

The Journal noted that the “scale of Takaichi’s win suggests voters approve of her handling of China, which has heaped pressure on Japan over remarks she made about Taiwan.”

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  Japan’s Takaichi weathers China’s wrath, wins supermajority in landslide snap election gamble, WorldTribune.com