Japan PM Takaichi Calls Snap Election on Feb 8 to Secure Stronger Mandate

Japan’s first female Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, announced on Monday that she will call a snap general election on February 8, aiming to consolidate her authority and secure a stronger mandate for her policy agenda. The 64-year-old LDP leader has quickly become known for her hardline stance on China, aggressive economic policies, and relentless work ethic.

Takaichi, a hawk on defence and economic security, took office in October after winning the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership, becoming the fifth Japanese prime minister in as many years. She inherited a party weakened by inflation concerns, a recent slush fund scandal, and voter migration to the populist, anti-immigration Sanseito party.

On the foreign policy front, Takaichi has not shied away from tensions with China. She suggested Japan could intervene militarily if China attacked Taiwan, prompting a diplomatic backlash and a ban on exports of key dual-use goods and rare-earth materials from Beijing. Her previous role as economic security minister also saw her vocal on China’s military expansion and supportive of strengthening Tokyo-Taipei security cooperation.

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Despite being Japan’s first female prime minister, Takaichi has largely avoided using gender as a political platform. Her cabinet includes only two women, and she opposes revising the law requiring married couples to share the same surname, underscoring her conservative stance on social issues. She cites former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as a political inspiration rather than leveraging her gender for political advantage.

Known for her showmanship, Takaichi recently gained attention for drumming along to K-pop songs during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung. She has also courted U.S. President Donald Trump with gifts and praise, emulating the foreign policy style of her late mentor, Shinzo Abe. Domestically, she champions aggressive monetary easing and fiscal spending reminiscent of “Abenomics.”

Takaichi’s leadership style is defined by tireless work, with reports of her sleeping just two to four hours a night and holding 3 a.m. meetings to prepare for parliamentary sessions. Riding high in the polls, the upcoming election will test whether her hardline policies and energetic leadership can translate into broad public support.

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