Liberal Democratic Party President Sanae Takaichi (right) and Japan Innovation Party (Ishin) leader Hirofumi Yoshimura sign the coalition agreement at the National Diet Building, October 20 (©Sankei by Ataru Haruna).
Amidst an international political climate in which authoritarian states are threatening the international order, democratic Japan welcomed a new administration in late October 2025. Led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, it is made up of a new coalition framework linking the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and Nippon Ishin no Kai (Ishin). Its Cabinet enjoys a high approval rating and an unprecedented level of support among the younger generation.
Nonetheless, all this did not come about easily.
In September, China staged a massive military parade in Beijing. The Chinese government said it was to mark the 80th anniversary of its victory in the "War of Resistance Against Japan." It was astonishing to see three dictators ー Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ー standing shoulder to shoulder.
The target of the brunt of their threats is none other than Japan.
Upper House Election Results Reflected Loss of Public Trust
Earlier, in January, Donald J Trump began his second term as President of the United States. The tariff policies he announced shortly afterwards caused consternation for Japan and other countries around the world. Thereafter, in recent months, relations between the US and European countries have become strained due to differing responses to Russia's invasion of Ukraine and other issues.
Meanwhile, the former administration of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, made up of a coalition of the LDP and Komeito, suffered a major defeat in the October 2024 House of Representatives election. Then, it lost badly again in this July's Upper House election. The results left the ruling parties without a majority in both houses.
Despite those setbacks, Ishiba announced his intention to stay on. He ignored public opinion and clung to power. Even so, the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP) did not seriously consider submitting a motion of no confidence in the Ishiba Cabinet.
The situation constituted a crisis for parliamentary democracy. But then pressure built up within the LDP to replace Ishiba to revitalize the party. In the end, Ishiba finally announced his resignation in September.
During the first round of voting for the LDP presidential election in October, Takaichi won votes from party members and supporters by a considerable margin over the second-place candidate.
This reflected the sense of crisis felt by party members and supporters. Meanwhile, her policies and fidelity to conservative beliefs earned Takaichi high praise among their ranks.
Foreigners Attract Attention
The conservative Democratic Party for the People (DPP) and the Sanseito made great strides in the July Upper House election. Sanseito, in particular, attracted attention. It proved to have support for becoming a major political party for the first time.
In fact, it was during that same election that issues related to foreigners became a major topic of discussion. Sanseito campaigned under the slogan "Japanese First." In response, the left wing reacted forcefully, labeling Sanseito as "xenophobic." However, the public would not buy their argument.
The LDP, Ishin, and the DPP have also adopted stronger stances on issues related to foreigners. Now that foreigners account for roughly 3% of Japan's population, issues related to them have become a major topic for public debate.
Leftist Parties Fall on Hard Times
There was another notable political feature of this past year. The Upper House election and opinion polls conducted by various media outlets revealed a decline in Japanese liberals and leftists. They had been at loggerheads with conservatives since the end of the war.
That was also the background to Ishiba's defeat. He showed no enthusiasm for amending the Constitution, an LDP priority. Furthermore, he made no effort to build a personal relationship of trust with President Trump, who is, after all, the leader of Japan's principal ally.
Nor did Ishiba demonstrate the leadership required to form a consensus within the Diet regarding the most important policy for stable imperial succession. That is, the principle of patrilineal succession. It was only natural that LDP supporters had given up on him.
A New Coalition
Takaichi became president of the LDP at a time when the party was facing a crisis. Komeito announced its withdrawal from the coalition, ending 26 years of cooperation between the LDP and Komeito.
With the creation of the new LDP-Ishin coalition, Takaichi became the first female prime minister in Japan's constitutional history.
Significantly, the contents of the coalition agreement represent a milestone in terms of protecting Japan and the Japanese people.
"How do we defend the Japanese people? How can we safeguard the peace and independence of our nation?" Convinced that the government needs to consider such fundamental questions from a realistic perspective, the Takaichi Cabinet has proposed the early revision of three key strategic documents, including the National Security Strategy.
Moreover, the coalition agreement proposed strengthening the government's intelligence functions. Those include the establishment of a National Intelligence Council, as well as the enactment of an anti-espionage law. These were themes that had been difficult to pursue as long as the LDP coalition with Komeito had been in place.
There is great significance in the coalition partners' agreement to revise the Imperial Household Law during the 2026 ordinary Diet session. It will enable male descendants of the imperial line to become officially recognized as members of the imperial family. They are made up of male descendants of former imperial families. In turn, that will provide stability for imperial succession policies.
The Public's Optimism
During the extraordinary Diet session, Prime Minister Takaichi also resolved issues concerning the abolition of the provisional gasoline tax rate and adjustment of the "annual income barrier." The speed with which she worked was appreciated by the members of the public. People are looking for an improvement in their living conditions.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's remarks regarding a Taiwan emergency were harshly criticized by left-wing forces in Japan, such as the CDP, and, of course, by China. It is noteworthy that, despite the controversy, the Cabinet's approval rating has remained unchanged. The Chinese government reacted with extraordinary behavior and brazen attempts to intimidate Japan. That, however, only served to remind the Japanese public of the threat that China poses today.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Takaichi succeeded in building a good relationship with President Trump at the Japan-US summit meeting that took place shortly after she took office. For there to be peace in Japan, the nation must strengthen its ties within the Japan-US alliance. Simultaneously, it must also improve Japan's defense, diplomatic, and intelligence capabilities.
Japan reoriented itself and began to head in that direction during this past year.
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(Read the editorial in Japanese.)
Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
