Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), speaks during a press conference at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo on Feb. 9, 2026. Franck Robichon / POOL / AFP via Getty ImagesBuoyed by recent electoral wins, Takaichi is moving the country to a defensive posture against China. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), speaks during a press conference at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo on Feb. 9, 2026. Franck Robichon / POOL / AFP via Getty ImagesJapanese Prime Minister Not Afraid to Take On BeijingBuoyed by recent electoral wins, Takaichi is moving the country to a defensive posture against China. |February 22, 2026Updated:February 22, 2026News AnalysisJapanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi emerged from a snap election on Feb. 8 with a mandate rare in postwar politics: a two-thirds supermajority in the more powerful lower house.AD
Japanese Prime Minister Not Afraid to Take On Beijing
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