Japan's First Female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi Secures Historic Victory in Midterm Elections

Tokyo.  Japan's first female Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, has achieved a historic success in the midterm elections.  The ruling coalition secured a two-thirds majority in the lower house in the elections held on Sunday, according to the BBC.  In the 465-member lower house, Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party won 316 seats, while the coalition with the Japan Innovation Party secured a total of 352 seats.

 With this victory, she will now be able to implement her economic and defense policies in parliament without much compromise with the opposition. Takaichi's victory news has brought enthusiasm to the Japanese stock market. The Nikkei index rose by more than 5 percent as the market opened on Monday, while the Japanese currency Yen saw a slight decline.

Takaichi, who has a staunchly conservative background, has promised to increase government spending, provide tax relief, and increase the defense budget for national security. Additionally, she plans to tighten immigration rules and review the issue of foreigners purchasing Japanese land. However, analysts have warned that her spending policies could bring further instability to Japan's sluggish economy.
Internationally, Takaichi is trying to further strengthen ties with the United States. Former US President Donald Trump had supported her even before the vote and congratulated her via social media after the victory, praising her leadership. However, reports indicate that her hardline stance on Taiwan could bring bitterness to relations with China, Japan's largest trading partner.