Members of Japan’s lower house of parliament applaud as Sane Takaichi was re-elected as prime minister during a special session Wednesday (February 18, 2026) in Tokyo, Japan. | Photo credit: AP
Japan’s lower house officially reinstated Sane Takaichi as prime minister on Wednesday (February 18, 2026), 10 days after her historic election victory.
Ms. Takaichi, 64, became Japan’s first female prime minister in October and won her party a two-thirds majority in early lower house elections on February 8.
She has vowed to strengthen Japan’s defenses to protect its territory and waters, worsen ties with Beijing and boost its flagship economy.
Ms Takaichi suggested in November that Japan might intervene militarily if Beijing tried to seize Taiwan by force.
China, which considers the democratic island part of its territory, has expressed anger that it has not been forced to annex it.
Wang Yi, Beijing’s top diplomat, told the Munich Security Conference on Saturday (Feb 14) that troops in Japan were trying to “revive militarism”.
In a policy speech on Friday (Feb 20), Ms Takaichi will pledge to update Japan’s “free and open Indo-Pacific” strategic framework, local media reported.
“Compared to when FOIP was first proposed, the international situation and the security environment around Japan have become significantly more serious,” the government’s chief spokesman Minoru Kihara said on Monday (Feb 16).
In practice, this means strengthening supply chains and promoting free trade through the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which Britain will join in 2024.
Ms. Takaichi’s government also plans to pass legislation to establish a national intelligence agency and begin definitive negotiations for an anti-espionage law, reports said.
A declining population
Ms. Takaichi has also promised to tighten rules around immigration, even as Asia’s number two economy struggles with labor shortages and a falling population.
On Friday (Feb 20), Ms Takaichi will repeat her campaign pledge to suspend the consumption tax on food for two years to ease inflationary pressures on households, local media said.
The promise exacerbated market concerns about Japan’s massive debt, with yields on long-dated government bonds hitting record highs last month.
International Monetary Fund chief of mission in Japan Rahul Anand said on Wednesday (Feb 18) that debt interest payments will double between 2025 and 2031.
“Abolishing the consumption tax [on food] “Since consumption tax is an important way to raise revenue without creating distortions in the economy, it weakens tax revenue,” said Mr. Anand.
To alleviate such concerns, Ms. Takaichi will repeat his mantra of a “responsible, proactive” fiscal policy on Friday (Feb 20) and set a target on reducing government debt, reports said.
She also announces the formation of a cross-party “National Council” to discuss taxes and how to fund Japan’s ballooning social security bill in old age.
But Ms. Takaichi’s first order of business will be approval of Japan’s budget for the fiscal year starting April 1 after the process was delayed by the election.
According to media reports, the ruling coalition also wants to pass a law that would make it illegal to destroy the Japanese flag.
It also wants to speed up the debate on changing the constitution and revising the rules of the imperial family to ease the looming succession crisis.
Ms Takaichi and many in her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) oppose allowing a woman to become emperor, but could change the rules to “adopt” new male members.
Ms. Takaichi is due to give a news conference later on Wednesday (February 18).
Published – February 18, 2026 12:49 pm IST
