Tokyo, Oct. 21 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, marking her first year in office Wednesday, emphasized that “challenges of the Takaichi cabinet’s second year begin today.” Speaking to reporters at the prime minister’s office the same day, she highlighted the need to “further strengthen measures to tackle global inflation” as an immediate challenge, citing the significance of a bill to cut the consumption tax rate for food, currently being debated in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, Japan’s parliament. Takaichi, who took office as the country’s first female prime minister on Oct. 21, 2025, led her Liberal Democratic Party’s formation of a new ruling coalition with the Japan Innovation Party while ending the LDP’s long partnership with Komeito. She strengthened her political foundations by leading the LDP to a landslide victory in the Lower House election in February this year. “I’ve continued working hard with the belief that steadily implementing our pledges for the Lower House election is my mission,” Takaichi said. Takaichi added that her signature “responsible and proactive” fiscal policy involves a “battle” to boost the Japanese economy, promising to “systematically carry out large-scale fiscal spending that is highly predictable for a long period to help spur bold domestic private-sector investment.” On Oct. 14, she dismissed Kazuo Yana as agriculture minister due chiefly to his remarks on road budget cuts for municipalities whose mayors did not support him in the February election. But a political fund issue has been reported by media for new agriculture minister Arata Takebe. Ahead of an LDP presidential race in autumn next year, the focus will be whether Takaichi can maintain support both inside and outside the LDP. When asked about her regrets in the first year as prime minister, Takaichi said: “I haven’t been able to sufficiently convey information (to the public). I have to study how public relations activities should be.” She continues to post long messages on X, formerly Twitter, almost every day to promote her diplomatic achievements and her administration’s policies. Meanwhile, she has had few opportunities for inspection trips and meetings with private-sector experts. Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the opposition Democratic Party for the People, said in a radio program Wednesday that the prime minister is “becoming more stubborn,” urging her to “first listen carefully to the opinions of people around her.” Noting that the ruling bloc does not have a majority in the Senate, the upper chamber of the Diet, he called for attention to “the voices of the people reflected in opposition parties.” Soon after the inauguration of the Takaichi administration in October last year, public support ratings for her cabinet had been high in media surveys, standing at between 60 and 80 pct. Support began to fall around June or July, however, with some recent opinion surveys showing approval ratings of under 50 pct. Apparently behind the faltering support was a delay in removing Yana from the post of agriculture minister. A veteran LDP lawmaker issued a warning over the situation, saying, “The atmosphere will change if support for the Takaichi cabinet slips below 40 pct.” Takaichi is pinning high hopes on the bill to cut the consumption tax rate for food from 8 pct to 1 pct for two years from April 2027. As the LDP-JIP coalition lacks a Senate majority despite its overwhelming control on the Lower House, the LDP hopes for cooperation from Komeito, the LDP’s previous coalition partner, for a vote on the bill at the upper chamber. Still, a Komeito official said, “It may be difficult for us to support (the bill).” Tough challenges also remain on the diplomatic front, including relations with China, which deteriorated markedly due to Takaichi’s parliamentary remarks in November last year over a possible contingency regarding Taiwan. While Chinese retaliatory measures, including restrictions on Japan-bound exports, are putting a damper on the Japanese economy, there have been no prospects for fence mending. Relations with Russia also continue deteriorating. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Etorofu, one of the four Russian-controlled northwestern Pacific islands claimed by Japan, in August, marking his first trip to any of the disputed islands. Earlier this month, Russian authorities detained a Japanese newspaper reporter on suspicion of espionage. An LDP official who previously served as a cabinet minister criticized Takaichi, saying that the series of Russian actions came after her administration “continued to take weak-kneed responses” to Moscow. The prime minister has vowed to pave the way for resolving the issue of Japanese nationals abducted to North Korea decades ago. At their meeting last month, Takaichi asked U.S. President Donald Trump to mediate between her and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Kim is unlikely to respond, however. “Japan may be driven into a corner of the world,” Kiyomi Tsujimoto, a member of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, said at a Senate Budget Committee meeting Friday, taking issue with Takaichi’s often-used phrase that “we will restore Japanese diplomacy that flourishes on the world’s center stage.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
