LDP Members Relieved after Landslide Victory in Lower House Election

Tokyo, Feb. 9 (Jiji Press)–Members of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party expressed relief that voters entrusted Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration with a mandate, as the party won more than 300 seats in Sunday’s election for the 465-seat House of Representatives. Although the LDP will continue to lead a minority coalition in the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament, the landslide victory in the Lower House is bound to give Takaichi momentum as she seeks to realize policy pledges such as a consumption tax cut. “We bear the very heavy responsibility of definitely achieving our policy pledges,” Takaichi said in a TV Asahi Corp. program Sunday night. Many cite the Takaichi cabinet’s high approval ratings as the factor behind the LDP expanding its presence in the Lower House by more than 100 seats from before the election. “We’ve gained support for the proactive yet responsible fiscal policy and the strengthening of defense capabilities, which are being promoted by the prime minister,” LDP Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki said. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference in Tokyo that the LDP’s victory indicated “high trust and expectations for the prime minister.” Based on the strong public support, the Takaichi administration will aim to realize policy pledges that align with the prime minister’s policy preferences, such as bolstering the country’s intelligence through measures including the enactment of an espionage prevention law and tightening laws related to foreigners. In a TV Tokyo Corp. program, Takaichi voiced hope that a member of the junior ruling force Japan Innovation Party will join the cabinet. The JIP has welcomed the ruling bloc’s landslide victory in the Lower House poll. Leader Hirofumi Yoshimura said Sunday that the coalition’s “policy implementation capability will rise” thanks to the election result. Meanwhile, an LDP source said that support may decrease swiftly if the government does not produce results, as many view the outcome of the latest election to be the result of the opposition Centrist Reform Alliance failing to generate public expectations. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]