Strong U.S. ties key as PM Takaichi navigates Japan’s economic, security pressures

“Having a good security relationship with the United States is of utmost importance for the Japanese as a whole,” said Professor Seijiro Takeshita of the University of Shizuoka, highlighting the strategic stakes ahead of Japan’s national election.

Speaking to AnewZ, Takeshita stressed that China’s growing pressure on Tokyo has reinforced public demand for a strong U.S. security umbrella, underlining one of the central challenges facing Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

“The threats are constant, both physical and indirect,” Takeshita added, noting that Japan’s reliance on U.S. forces is widely seen as critical to maintaining national security amid tensions in East Asia.

Takeshita also addressed Takaichi’s economic strategy, which aims to tackle soaring living costs and broader financial pressures through an expansionary fiscal policy.

“That’s a million-dollar question,” he said.

“Her approach may make people worry that fiscal discipline isn’t being maintained, potentially weakening the yen," the expert added, stressing that Japan imports nearly all its oil and has a food self-sufficiency rate of only 38%.

Takeshita described the possible fall of yen as "a double whammy.”

Despite these risks, Takeshita argued that prioritising economic growth over strict debt control aligns with sound economic theory and mirrors lessons from past crises in Europe.

“From that point of view, she’s taking the right move,” he said, adding that patience is key as voters wait to see the effects of her policies.

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The dual pressures of security and the economy are shaping Takaichi’s campaign as polls suggest her coalition could secure a decisive victory, but Takeshita cautions that managing both domestic economic concerns and international threats will be critical for her success.

Parliament election

Japan’s House of Representatives was formally dissolved on 23 January, triggering a snap general election scheduled for 8 February to fill all 465 seats in the chamber.

The unusually brief campaign, with the official contest starting only days after the dissolution, is one of the shortest in Japan’s post‑war history and reflects Takaichi’s bid to secure a direct public mandate for her economic and security agenda amid rising living costs and geopolitical tensions.

Takaichi, who became Japan’s first female prime minister in October 2025 and leads a coalition between her Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party, said the early election would let voters judge her leadership and policy approach, while critics argue the timing could disrupt parliamentary business, including budget deliberations.

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News Politics Japan Tokyo Economy Security China Taiwan United States Sanae Takaichi