Landslide election victory lets Takaichi confront China on her terms

The resounding victory by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party in Sunday's general election has sent a strong signal that Takaichi is likely to be around for some time, giving her the bandwidth to adhere to her strategy of putting the onus on Chinese President Xi Jinping to reengage with Japan. Wire photo

by JESSE JOHNSON
February 10, 2026

China’s bid to pressure Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in order to force her hand following her unprecedented remarks that Japan could intervene militarily in a Taiwan crisis has fallen flat, with the LDP’s stunning election victory Sunday giving her the needed political capital to confront Beijing on her terms.

Voters, undeterred by apparent Chinese economic retaliation for the November comments, endorsed Takaichi’s unyielding stance toward Beijing, delivering her Liberal Democratic Party the most seats of any political party in the Lower House since the end of World War II.

The results sent a strong signal that Takaichi is likely to be around for some time, giving her the bandwidth to adhere to her government’s strategy of putting the onus on China to reengage with Japan — something the prime minister herself alluded to Monday night.