Japan's PM Takaichi seeks constitutional debate after landslide election win

2026-02-08 - 21:05

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has pledged to initiate a debate on amending Japan's post-war pacifist constitution after securing a commanding majority in Sunday's general election. The victory grants her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) the parliamentary supermajority required to formally propose constitutional revisions, a historic shift in the nation's political landscape. Historic Supermajority for the LDP Projections from the Kyodo news agency indicate the LDP won at least two-thirds of the seats in the 465-member House of Representatives. This marks the first time a single party has achieved such a majority in Japan's post-war era, significantly surpassing the simple majority threshold of 233 seats. The win follows the dissolution of the lower chamber last month and a campaign involving over 1,270 candidates. Focus on Constitutional Revision and U.S. Ties Following the results, Prime Minister Takaichi stated she does not plan major cabinet changes but emphasized her intent to revisit the constitution's Article 9, which renounces war and limits Japan's military to self-defense. She also highlighted strong U.S.-Japan relations, thanking former President Donald Trump for his pre-election endorsement. On social media, she declared the alliance's potential is "LIMITLESS," underscoring deep bilateral trust. Opposition Setback and Electoral Context The election delivered a severe blow to the newly formed Centrist Reform Alliance, the main opposition coalition. Its seats were halved from 167, prompting co-leaders to hint at resignation. The alliance, created in January from the Constitutional Democratic Party and Komeito, failed to counter the LDP's momentum. Voter turnout was estimated at approximately 55.68%, with over 20 million people participating in early voting.