Japan's ruling party on track for an overwhelming majority in snap legislative elections

Japan's Prime Minister and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), Sanae Takaichi, speaks with media on the House of Representatives election day at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo on February 8, 2026. (Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon / POOL / AFP) KIM KYUNG-HOON / AFP

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was on course for a thumping victory in snap elections on Sunday, February, a result that could rile China and worry financial markets. Capitalizing on her honeymoon start as Japan's first woman premier, Takaichi's ruling bloc looked to have secured a two-thirds majority in the lower house, according to media estimates.

The result would be the best for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) since the 2017 elections under Takaichi's mentor, assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe. The LDP alone was seen winning about 300 of the 465 seats up for grabs, up from 198, regaining a majority – and potentially a super-majority on its own without its junior partner, the Japan Innovation Party.

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Japan's PM Sanae Takaichi set to win big in snap legislative elections