Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is projected to win a commanding victory in a snap general election, according to early exit polling released Sunday night.
Public broadcaster NHK estimated that the coalition headed by Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is on track to secure a two-thirds supermajority in the House of Representatives.
The LDP alone is expected to win enough seats to govern outright, marking a dramatic turnaround for a party that had lost its parliamentary majority just two years ago.
Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister who is often dubbed the country’s own “Iron Lady,” called the election only four months after assuming party leadership.
The move was widely seen as risky, particularly after corruption scandals and rising living costs weakened the LDP under her predecessors.
Takaichi had said she would resign if her party failed to win a majority.
BREAKING: Japan’s right-wing PM Sanae Takaichi is set to win a LANDSLIDE VICTORY of up to 326 seats in today’s election, per exit polling
233 is a majority
WOW! Being anti-mass migration is POPULAR in Japan
The whole world needs more leaders like this! pic.twitter.com/mk1Enrt2NL
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 8, 2026
Approval ratings for her government have remained above 70 percent, and voters responded positively to her energetic campaigning style, nationalist messaging, and pledges of increased public spending.
Voters across the country braved severe winter weather to cast ballots in Japan’s first mid-winter election in more than three decades.
Heavy snowfall disrupted transport services, grounding flights and suspending train and ferry routes, including in Tokyo.
Many voters cited economic anxiety as a central concern, particularly rising prices in a country long accustomed to low inflation.
Other major issues included Japan’s continued opposition to mass immigration and government efforts to reverse its demographic decline.
My sincerest congratulations to Prime Minister @takaichi_sanae on her historic victory, securing the biggest post-war electoral margin in Japanese history.
As @POTUS has said, she will not let the people of Japan down.
When Japan is strong, the U.S. is strong in Asia, and the… pic.twitter.com/v7KHHflAkH
— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) February 8, 2026
Takaichi’s campaign leaned heavily on social media, where she has cultivated a large following by sharing informal clips of daily life and international diplomacy, including videos that went viral online.
The opposition entered the election more unified than in past contests, with former LDP coalition partner Komeito aligning with the Constitutional Democratic Party to form the largest opposition bloc.
In the run-up to the election, Takaichi received an endorsement from President Trump as she seeks to deepen ties with the United States.
I am sincerely grateful to President Donald J. Trump for his warm words.
I look forward to visiting the White House this spring and to continuing our work together to further strengthen the Japan–U.S. Alliance.
Our Alliance and friendship with the United States of America are… pic.twitter.com/EKeowvyeDo— 高市早苗 (@takaichi_sanae) February 8, 2026
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