Like her idol Margaret Thatcher, Sanae Takaichi (64) wields a sturdy dark handbag in and out of official meetings. A prime minister many thought likely to quickly join the long line of short-lived Japanese leaders now has a shot at being one of its more consequential. Photograph: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty ImagesThe thumping win insulates Takaichi from pressure to compromise on two key issues: government spending and defence. The prime minister has already said she will accelerate annual military spending to 2 per cent of gross domestic product, two years ahead of schedule. Revising article nine, which bans Japan from maintaining a conventional army, has been the holy grail of LDP politics since the party’s foundation in 1955.

Source: The Irish Times February 08, 2026 17:08 UTC