Tokyo, 10 February (H.S.): On Monday, Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, in her inaugural press conference following the Liberal Democratic Party's (LDP) landslide victory in the House of Representatives election, intimated sweeping economic reforms, pivoting from stringent fiscal consolidation toward a responsible yet aggressive policy framework to invigorate growth.

Takaichi asserted that voters endorsed LDP's manifesto for policy reinvention, declaring: The public has chosen us to enact changes in economic policies, per Japan Today, advocating departure from excessive fiscal stringency—curtailing expenditures and hiking revenues—to proactive spending buttressing inflation-battered households and enterprises.

Since assuming office in October 2025, Takaichi's LDP-Komeito coalition (with Japan Innovation Party, JIP) clinched 352 of 465 lower house seats—including one independent—with LDP surging to 316 from 198, and JIP expanding to 36; this supermajority empowers constitutional amendments, including pacifist Article 9 revisions long-coveted by conservatives.

The premier recommitted to campaign pledges like suspending the 8% consumption tax on food for two years—alleviating living costs—while establishing cross-party forums for taxation-social security fusion and rice supply stabilization amid soaring staples; LDP expressed heartfelt public gratitude for this transformative mandate.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar