The Japanese began voting on Sunday for early legislative elections which should confirm the Liberal Democratic Party of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a proponent of ultraconservatism and a hard line on immigration.
Published on: 02/08/2026 - 02:59Modified on: 02/08/2026 - 07:28
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Polling stations are due to close at 8 p.m. (11 a.m. GMT), with the first estimates expected immediately. Japan votes on Sunday February 8 for early legislative elections which should establish the Liberal Democratic Party of the new ultraconservative Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
Buoyed by a graceful start to her mandate, the nationalist leader – the first woman to lead Japan – promised on Saturday, during an electoral rally in Tokyo in front of thousands of supporters, to make her country “more prosperous and more secure”.
This great admirer of Margaret Thatcher is committed to “pushing the growth button”. As for immigration, the criteria "have already become a little stricter, so that terrorists, but also industrial spies, cannot enter easily", she said.
On January 19, the Prime Minister announced the dissolution of the lower house of Parliament, triggering a historic 16-day blitzkrieg.
Also read: Sanae Takaichi, the ultra-conservative who dreams of being Japan's "Iron Lady"
Riding on a very good popularity rating, she even made it a personal matter, asking voters: "Is Takaichi fit to be Prime Minister? I wanted to let the sovereign people decide."
For this election, which is taking place under the snow in Tokyo and in a large part of the country, this 64-year-old woman hopes to materialize the polls which are favorable to her to boost the scores of the PLD (nationalist right) which she has led since the fall.
An “easy to understand” speech
Although in slight decline in recent weeks, his government benefits from very favorable opinion rates of around 70%. Among young Japanese in particular, Sanae Takaichi, who came to power in October, has even become a phenomenon on social networks.
Observers estimate that the LDP could exceed the 233 seats needed to regain an absolute majority and that the ruling coalition, made up of the LDP and the Japanese Innovation Party (Ishin), could even cross the threshold of 300 seats out of the 465 at stake.
His firm speech on immigration seems to have pulled the rug out from under the opposition.
“The words she uses are easy to understand,” Mikitaka Masuyama, professor of Japanese politics at the National Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS), told AFP. His predecessor Shigeru Ishiba "had a lot of ideas, but he spoke like an academic."
Beyond his person, the subject of this campaign was above all the wallets of the Japanese, while inflation has remained above 2% for almost three years.
“In the end, with prices rising like they are right now, what matters most to me is knowing what policies will be adopted to fight inflation. The prices of almost everything are increasing, but incomes are not increasing much, so our disposable income is reducing,” said Chika Sakamoto, a 50-year-old Japanese woman interviewed by AFP.
Sanae Takaichi's first economic measures, including a $135 billion recovery plan, nevertheless worried investors.
The head of government – the fifth Prime Minister in five years – promised to exempt food products from the 8% consumption tax in order to mitigate the impact of inflation on households.
“Even though this may seem like a good thing in the short term, I am very worried about whether such measures are really responsible for the generations that come after us,” Taku Sakamoto, a 49-year-old Japanese man, explained on Sunday.
She also caused trouble a week ago by touting the benefits of a weak yen, even though her Finance Minister repeated that Tokyo would intervene to support the currency.
Supported by Donald Trump
“A landslide victory for the LDP would give it a mandate to continue these policies,” Hiroshi Shiratori, professor of political science at Hosei University, told AFP on Sunday.
The evolution of relations with China also remains a subject of concern.
Barely two weeks after coming to power, Sanae Takaichi suggested that Tokyo could intervene militarily in the event of an attack on Taiwan, comments leading to a serious diplomatic crisis between Beijing and Tokyo.
Read on the subjectChina-Japan: when the verbal escalation around Taiwan disrupts trade and tourism
Finally, on Friday, she benefited from the support of the American president.
"The results are very important for the future of the country. Prime Minister Takaichi has already proven herself to be a strong, powerful and wise leader," Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding that he "can't wait" to receive her at the White House on March 19.
Support from the powerful ally who could finally convince the undecided.
With AFP
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