Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi on course for lower house win, exit poll shows

Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi’s governing coalition is almost certain to win a single-party majority in a key parliamentary election, NHK public television and other major networks say – citing their exit poll results.

NHK says Ms Takaichi’s ruling coalition, led by her Liberal Democratic Party, could win more than two-thirds of the 465-seat lower house, the more powerful of the country’s two-chamber parliament.

The huge jump from the pre-election share could allow Ms Takaichi to make progress on a right-wing agenda that aims to boost Japan’s economy and military capabilities as tensions grow with China and she tries to nurture ties with Washington.

Ms Takaichi took office in October as Japan’s first female leader.

She is hugely popular, but the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which has governed Japan for most of the last seven decades, has struggled from funding and religious scandals.

She called Sunday’s snap elections only after three months in office, hoping to turn that around before her popularity fades.

She wants to make progress on a right-wing agenda that aims to boost Japan’s economy and military capabilities as tensions grow with China.

She also wants to nurture ties with her crucial US ally, and a sometimes unpredictable President Donald Trump.

The ultra-conservative Ms Takaichi, who took office as Japan’s first female leader in October, pledged to “work, work, work,” and her style, which is seen as both playful and tough, has resonated with younger fans.

The latest surveys indicated a landslide win in the lower house for the LDP. The opposition, despite the formation of a new centrist alliance and a rising far-right, is seen as too splintered to be a real challenger.

Ms Takaichi bet that her LDP party, together with its new partner, the Japan Innovation Party, would secure a majority in the 465-seat lower house, the more powerful of Japan’s two-chamber parliament.

If the LDP fails to win a majority, “I will step down,” she said.

A big win by Ms Takaichi’s coalition could mean a significant shift to the right in Japan’s security, immigration and other policies, with its right-wing partner JIP’s leader Hirofumi Yoshimura saying his party will serve as an “accelerator”.

Japan has recently seen far-right populists gain ground, such as the anti-globalist and surging nationalist party Sanseito.

Ms Takaichi has pledged to revise security and defence policies by December to bolster Japan’s offensive military capabilities, lifting a ban on weapons exports and moving further away from the country’s postwar pacifist principles.

She has been pushing for tougher policies on foreigners, anti-espionage and other measures that resonate with a far-right audience but ones that experts say could undermine civil rights.

Ms Takaichi also wants to increase defence spending in response to Mr Trump’s pressure on Japan to loosen its purse strings.

Though Ms Takaichi said she is seeking the public’s mandate for her “nation splitting policies,” she avoided contentious issues such as ways to fund soaring military spending, how to fix diplomatic tension with China and other controversial issues.

In her campaign speeches, Ms Takaichi enthusiastically talked about the need for “proactive” government spending to fund “crisis management investment and growth,” such as measures to strengthen economic security, technology and other industries.

Ms Takaichi also seeks to push tougher measures on immigration and foreigners, including stricter requirements for foreign property owners and a cap on foreign residents.