Exit polls indicate that Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party is poised to win the election with a landslide majority in the parliament.
Japan's public broadcaster NHK projects, based on exit polls, that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's party is likely to secure a landslide majority in the House of Representatives election held on Sunday, 8 Feb 2026 GMT+7.
According to NHK, Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is expected to win between 274 and 328 seats out of a total of 465, well above the 233 seats needed for a majority.
Combined with coalition partner Japan Innovation Party, known as “Ishin,” Takaichi could control up to 366 seats.
The 64-year-old Japan's first female prime minister dissolved parliament and called a snap winter election—the third such occurrence since World War II—to capitalize on her rising personal popularity since becoming LDP leader late last year.
Her straightforward and hardworking image appeals to voters, but her nationalist views and emphasis on security have strained relations with neighboring influential China, while her tax cut promises have unsettled financial markets.
Takaichi also pledged to suspend the 8% consumption tax on food items to help households cope with rising prices, though this has alarmed investors concerned about how heavily indebted Japan, the world's most indebted developed nation, would fund the plan.
Many elderly Japanese express concern that Takaichi's tax cuts may increase the burden on future generations; however, young voters are her strongest supporters, with recent surveys showing over 90% approval among those under 30.
The prime minister has sparked a youth craze called “sanakatsu,” roughly meaning “Sanae enthusiasm,” with items she uses—such as her handbag and the pink pen she uses to take notes in parliament—becoming highly sought after.
Even former U.S. President Donald Trump declared full support for Takaichi on Thursday, 5 Feb 2026 GMT+7, while the Chinese government is closely monitoring the election outcomes.
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Source:japantoday