Takaichi to be reappointed as Japan Prime Minister: What are her plans?

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi resigned along with her Cabinet en masse Wednesday morning ahead of a special session of the Diet, the country’s Parliament, which is set to convene this afternoon, The Japan News reported. Takaichi, who became the first woman prime minister of the country in October 2025, will be reinstated as the prime minister by the Parliament and form her second Cabinet during the session. After the vote on Wednesday, the new premier will finalise Cabinet appointments, and the chief cabinet secretary will announce the lineup. This comes after February 8 House of Representatives elections, which witnessed the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) securing over two-thirds of the 465 seats in the Lower House — the more powerful of Japan’s two Diet chambers. The landslide election will now allow the PM to move her nation’s policies “hard right,” according to AP. Among her goals include an increase in military power, rise in government spending and strengthened conservative social policies, AP reported. ## LDP’s supermajority The supermajority in the Lower House will allow Takaichi’s LDP to dominate leading posts in house committees, and push through bills rejected by the Upper House — the chamber where the LDP-led ruling coalition lacks a majority. The PM aims to bolster Japan’s military capability and arms sales, tighten immigration policies, push male-only imperial succession rules and preserve a criticized tradition that pressures women into abandoning their surnames, the report stated. Here are the top tasks Takaichi will focus on: 🔴 Tackling rising prices Takaichi’s first task is to address rising prices and sluggish wage, while passing a Budget bill to fund these measures, which had been delayed because of the elections. Takaichi has also proposed a two-year sales tax cut on food products to ease household living costs. However, experts have cautioned that her liberal fiscal policy could drive up prices and delay progress on trimming Japan’s huge national debt. 🔴 Courting Trump Takaichi is maneuvering for a crucial summit next month with United States President Donald Trump, who will visit Beijing in April this year. Trump had endorsed Takaichi ahead of the Japan elections. Hours before Takaichi’s reappointment as the prime minister, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced Japan will provide capital for three projects in the US under a $550 billion investment package. Lutnick wrote: “These projects represent a $36 billion commitment in key sectors of our economy.” The first batch of projects include a natural gas plant in Ohio, a US Gulf Coast crude oil export facility and a synthetic diamond manufacturing site. > Statement from Secretary Howard Lutnick: MASSIVE AMERICA FIRST TRADE WIN: President Trump has approved the first three projects under Japan’s $550 billion investment commitment to the United States as part of our historic U.S.–Japan trade deal. These projects represent a $36… — U.S. Commerce Dept. (@CommerceGov) February 17, 2026 Statement from Secretary Howard Lutnick: MASSIVE AMERICA FIRST TRADE WIN: President Trump has approved the first three projects under Japan’s $550 billion investment commitment to the United States as part of our historic U.S.–Japan trade deal. These projects represent a $36… — U.S. Commerce Dept. (@CommerceGov) February 17, 2026 Hailing the “massive deal” with Japan, Trump wrote over a post on Truth Social, “America is building again. America is producing again. And America is WINNING again. This is a very exciting and HISTORIC time for the United States of America and Japan. Congratulations to all!” 🔴 A hawk on China Takaichi, last November, had suggested potential Japanese action if China makes a military move against Taiwan — the self-governing island that Beijing claims to be its own. The warning has led to Beijing’s diplomatic and economic reprisals. Many Japanese, frustrated by China’s growing assertiveness, welcomed her comments on Taiwan. Meanwhile, experts have said that Takaichi could take a more hawkish stance with China, given the big election win. Takaichi, soon after the elections, told the reporters that she is working to gain support for a visit to Tokyo’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine, news agency AP reported. 🔴 Strengthening Japan’s defence infrastructure Takaichi has pledged to revise security and defence policies by December this year to bolster the country’s military capabilities, the news agency quoted. She also plans to lift the ban on lethal weapons exports and move further away from postwar pacifist principles, AP reported, adding that Japan is also considering the development of a nuclear-powered submarine to increase offensive capabilities. Takaichi wants to improve intelligence-gathering and establish a national agency to work more closely with ally Washington and defence partners like Australia and Britain. She is also in support of a controversial anti-espionage law targeting Chinese spies, which some experts say, could undermine Japanese civil rights, AP quoted. 🔴 Stricter on immigration and foreigners Takaichi proposed tougher policies on immigration and foreigners, as an expression of a growing frustration in Japan. Her government last month approved tougher rules on permanent residency and naturalization as well as measures to prevent unpaid tax and social insurance, according to reports. 🔴 Traditional family values Takaichi supports the imperial family’s male-only succession and opposes same-sex marriage, as per the news agency. She is also vocal against a revision to the 19th-century civil law that would allow separate surnames for married couples so that women don’t get pressured into abandoning theirs. In a step, that rights activists call an attempt to block a dual-surname system, Takaichi is calling for a law to allow the greater use of maiden names as aliases, AP noted. 🔴 On hold The PM’s ambition to revise the US-drafted postwar pacifist Constitution might have to wait, for now, as Takaichi continues to face pressures to deal with rising prices, a declining population and worries about the country’s military. The Express Global Desk at The Indian Express delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis. A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. 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