On Sunday, February 8th, the results of Japan’s 51st House of Representatives election were announced, with Prime Minister Sanae Takai and the Liberal Democratic Party scoring a landslide victory, securing 316 seats, more than two-thirds of the total. United States President Donald Trump congratulated Takai on her overwhelming victory in the election.
In a post on “Truth Social” on Sunday evening Eastern Time, President Trump wrote, “Congratulations to Prime Minister Sanae Takai and her governing coalition for their decisive victory in today’s crucial election. She is a respected and popular leader.”
Trump went on to commend Prime Minister Takai for her bold and wise decision to call for early elections, which resulted in a huge success. Her party now controls the parliament with a historic two-thirds majority – a first since World War II.
“Prime Minister Takai, I am honored to support you and your governing coalition. Wishing you great success in advancing a conservative agenda that seeks peace through strength. The enthusiastic voters of Japan will always have my steadfast support,” concluded the U.S. President in his post.
According to the vote count released by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), the “Centrist Reform Alliance” formed by the Constitutional Democratic Party and Komeito lost over 100 seats, ultimately securing 49 seats. The National Democratic Party gained 28 seats, the Party of Hope secured 15 seats, the emerging party “Future Team” won 11 seats, and the Japanese Communist Party obtained 4 seats.
Since taking office, Prime Minister Sanae Takai, also the head of the Liberal Democratic Party, has maintained high levels of public support, which translated into significant help during the election. It is expected that she will be reappointed as Prime Minister during the special session of the Diet to be convened later this month and form her second cabinet.
Keiji Furuya, the chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party’s election strategy committee, stated to reporters at party headquarters on Sunday evening, “The support and expectations for Prime Minister Takai have translated into votes. We will now reflect those expectations in concrete policies.”
Toshihiro Suzuki, the Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party, expressed on a Tokyo TV program, “Voters have shown support for Prime Minister Takai’s responsible, active fiscal policies, strengthened defense capabilities, and diplomatic prowess.”
Takai also expressed gratitude for Trump’s support, as he publicly endorsed her before the election. She emphasized the unlimited potential of the U.S.-Japan “alliance” and stressed that this partnership is “built on deep trust and close, robust cooperation.”
Earlier on Sunday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Benson wrote on the X platform, “I sincerely congratulate Prime Minister Takai on her historic victory, which is the largest post-war victory in Japan’s history.”
He added, “As President Donald Trump said, she will not disappoint the Japanese people.”
“Japan is strong, and the United States is strong in Asia. The close relationship between the Prime Minister and President Trump demonstrates the strong bond between our two countries,” said Benson.
During her campaign, Sanae Takai hinted several times that she would take a tougher stance towards the Chinese Communist Party. Shortly after assuming office as Prime Minister, she publicly stated that Japan might respond to Chinese aggression towards Taiwan, pointing out that this intrusion could trigger the use of collective self-defense, resulting in a situation where “survival is threatened.” These remarks angered the Chinese Communist Party. Takai also mentioned plans to enhance Japan’s military capabilities, ending decades of post-World War II policies.
As the election results continued to be revealed, Japanese Defense Minister Jiro Koizumi said in a television interview that, while he hopes to engage in dialogue with Beijing, he aims to swiftly advance policies to bolster Japan’s defense.