PM Modi congratulates Japan’s Sanae Takaichi on her sweeping election win, saying the India–Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership will play a key role in peace, stability and prosperity
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Japan’s Sanae Takaichi on her commanding victory in Japan’s elections to the House of Representatives, saying he expects the bilateral partnership between India and Japan to “reach greater heights.”
In his message on X, Modi wrote about the importance of the India–Japan Special Strategic and Global Partnership, calling it a cornerstone for peace, stability and prosperity.
“Our Special Strategic and Global Partnership plays a vital role in enhancing global peace, stability and prosperity,” he wrote, adding that under Takaichi’s leadership he is confident the friendship between the two nations will continue to deepen. “I am confident that under your able leadership, we will continue to take the India-Japan friendship to greater heights.”
Congratulations Sanae Takaichi on your landmark victory in the elections to the House of Representatives!
Our Special Strategic and Global Partnership plays a vital role in enhancing…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 8, 2026
Takaichi secured a strong mandate in the snap elections, consolidating her position just months after becoming Japan’s first female prime minister. Her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition partners are set to win a commanding two-thirds majority in the lower house of parliament, giving her government a decisive edge to advance its agenda.
But why did Japan’s PM conduct snap elections?
Takaichi called the snap election primarily to secure a direct public mandate after becoming
Japan’s first female Prime Minister just four months earlier. Having inherited a minority government following the resignation of Shigeru Ishiba, Takaichi argued that the “sovereign people” should decide if she was fit for the role.
By dissolving the House of Representatives early, she sought to capitalise on her high personal popularity to stabilise her administration and move past the corruption scandals that had plagued the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) under previous leadership.
Beyond personal legitimacy, the election was a strategic move to solidify a new and more right-leaning governing coalition with the Japan Innovation Party (Ishin). This partnership replaced the LDP’s long-standing, decades-old alliance with the Buddhist-backed Komeito party, which had collapsed in late 2025.
Finally, Takaichi required a “supermajority” to push through her ambitious and often controversial “Iron Lady” policy agenda. This includes “Sanaenomics”—a fiscal strategy featuring a high-profile two-year suspension of the 8% consumption tax on food—and a significant expansion of Japan’s military capabilities.
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