Sanae Takaichi has been formally reappointed prime minister following the Feb. 8 lower‑house election—returning to power with an unusually large majority that promises quick policy moves at home and a more assertive security posture abroad. Her government’s early priorities combine immediate economic relief for households with a push to overhaul Japan’s intelligence and defence arrangements. How those ambitions will be paid for and implemented, however, remains unsettled.
What happened
At a special Diet session in Tokyo, the House of Representatives confirmed Takaichi as prime minister, launching a 150‑day parliamentary term that runs through July 17. In her first press conference since the appointment she pledged a two‑year suspension of the 8% consumption tax on food and drinks and signalled a slate of measures to strengthen national security. No detailed legislative calendar accompanied those announcements.
Why the majority matters
The Liberal Democratic Party’s enlarged lower‑house majority gives the government real muscle: committee chairs and key parliamentary posts now sit with the LDP, making it much easier to shepherd contested bills through the Diet. That advantage can blunt opposition tactics in the lower chamber, though the upper house remains more competitive and can still shape or delay legislation.
The relief package: quick politics, thorny math
The proposed suspension of the food consumption tax is pitched as fast relief for families squeezed by rising prices. It has obvious political appeal—visible relief at the grocery checkout—but officials haven’t clarified which items would be covered or how the Treasury will replace the lost revenue. Economists and opposition parties warn that pausing a steady stream of tax income without defined offsets could widen deficits or force cuts elsewhere. Supporters argue a temporary break is warranted while households struggle with inflationary pressure.
A cautious legislative path
Takaichi has asked a cross‑party national council to deliver an interim judgment on the plan before summer, a move that suggests she wants some parliamentary legitimacy even as she seeks to act quickly. How broadly the tax break is defined, and whether compensating measures are adopted, will determine its fiscal impact and political durability.
Security agenda: moving beyond bureaucracy
On security, the administration is aiming for structural change. Plans include centralizing intelligence oversight with a national intelligence committee and advancing new anti‑espionage laws. Officials cast these steps as responses to a tougher regional environment, intended to strengthen deterrence and better protect sensitive information.
Constitutional questions and regional sensitivity
Takaichi has reiterated interest in pursuing a constitutional amendment—a politically fraught route that would require two‑thirds approval in both chambers of the Diet and then a national referendum. Her past comments suggesting Japan might act if Taiwan were attacked have drawn international attention; allied capitals and diplomats in Tokyo are watching to see how deterrence aims will be balanced against diplomatic risks. Key ministers are due to brief parliamentary committees next week, and observers will be looking for whether any hardening of military posture comes paired with stepped‑up diplomatic outreach.
Parliamentary dynamics and party strategy
The LDP has used its victory to lock in influential committee chairs in the lower house, shaping the legislative timetable in the government’s favor. Yet the upper house’s competitiveness gives opposition parties tools to influence debate. Inside the LDP, conversations are already shifting to personnel and campaign strategy—who will be elevated to coordinate legislative pushes and prepare for the next electoral tests. Opposition groups, including the Centrist Reform Alliance, are regrouping after losses and weighing leadership changes and new alliances. The lower‑house supermajority gives her team the ability to move bills quickly, but the ultimate shape of those policies will hinge on fiscal trade‑offs, the precise scope of measures, and how the government navigates debate in the upper house and on the international stage.