Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling bloc is projected to win a two-thirds majority, a result that could strain ties with China and raise fiscal concerns.
TOKYO: Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (pic) was projected to have won a thumping victory in Japan’s snap election.
Media estimates indicate her ruling Liberal Democratic Party bloc is on course to secure a two-thirds majority in the lower house.
The LDP alone was seen winning about 300 of the 465 seats, a significant increase from its previous 198.
This would be the party’s best result since the 2017 elections under Takaichi’s mentor, the late Shinzo Abe.
LDP secretary general Shunichi Suzuki said the result showed backing for “responsible, proactive fiscal policies and a strengthening of national defence capabilities.”
The main opposition alliance looked set to lose more than two-thirds of its seats.
Takaichi has injected new life into the LDP, which had been shedding support over rising prices and corruption.
The 64-year-old prime minister, a former heavy metal drummer, has proven a hit with voters since taking office in October.
She will now face pressure to deliver on the economy and manage Japan’s massive public debt.
Voter Chika Sakamoto, 50, told AFP her main concern was policies to deal with inflation.
“Prices for just about everything are really going up, but incomes aren’t rising much,” she said.
Takaichi’s campaign included a promise to suspend a consumption tax on food.
This has raised concerns about the stewardship of public finances in the world’s number-two economy.
Japan’s debt is more than twice the size of its GDP, and bond yields have recently hit record highs.
Voter Taku Sakamoto, 49, expressed worry about the long-term responsibility of such fiscal measures.
“My biggest concern is not just the present, but what will become of Japan going forward,” he said.
The election triumph may also cause consternation in Beijing.
Takaichi, seen as a China hawk, recently suggested Japan could intervene militarily if Beijing sought to take Taiwan by force.
China, which regards Taiwan as part of its territory, reacted furiously to the remarks.
It summoned Tokyo’s ambassador and warned its citizens against visiting Japan.
The diplomatic spat even saw Japan’s last two pandas returned to China last month.
US President Donald Trump has endorsed Takaichi as a “strong, powerful, and wise Leader.”
Political analyst Margarita Estevez-Abe said the China episode raised Takaichi’s popularity further.
“Now she doesn’t have to worry about any elections until 2028,” Estevez-Abe told AFP.
“So the best scenario for Japan is that Takaichi kind of takes a deep breath and focuses on amending the relationship with China.”
