What has she said she would do?

Sanae Takaichi outlined key policy pledges during her 2025 LDP leadership campaign and early premiership to tackle Japan's economic woes, security challenges, and social issues. Under her “Sanenomics” banner, she promised income tax cuts, cash payouts to families, doubled economy via public spending, targeted tax credits, nuclear restarts, food consumption tax elimination for two years, and reduced Bank of Japan autonomy for expansionary fiscal policy. On security and defense, she vowed to raise military spending to 2% of GDP, revise security documents by the end of 2026, restrict foreign real estate/investment near defenses, enact spy-prevention law, and strengthen the U.S.-Japan alliance plus Indo-Pacific ties. As for social reforms, she aimed to boost women in politics to Nordic levels, offer family tax deductions for child care, offer corporate breaks for in-house daycare, and impose tougher measures on immigrants via visa denials for unpaid health insurance. Some of her other priorities included combating inflation and stagnant wages, overhauling social security, ending the gasoline levy, and reforming politics for strength and prosperity amid demographic decline.

 

What action has been taken thus far?

Takaichi has taken concrete steps since becoming Japan’s prime minister in October 2025, focusing on economic relief, security, and diplomacy as of early 2026. She passed a supplementary budget in late 2025 to combat rising prices, advanced the fiscal 2026 budget proposal with over 50 trillion yen in public-private investments for growth, and launched a national conference on tax and social security reforms, seeking opposition. Takaichi also responded to North Korean missile launches with instructions on January 4, 2026, and pursued defense enhancements amid regional tensions. She had the chance to hold a summit phone talk with U.S. on January 2, 2026, President Trump handled tensions with China following remarks made on Taiwan, which sparked a diplomatic crisis. She has pledged “fearless” changes in New Year’s messages, maintaining high approval ratings while managing razor-thin parliamentary majorities with the Japan Innovation Party. 

 

What are her plans for the future?

Sanae Takaichi has outlined ambitious plans for 2026 to strengthen Japan economically, militarily, and diplomatically, building on her campaign pledges and recent statements. She pushed fiscal 2026 budget approval with over 50 trillion yen in public-private investments for a 160 trillion yen economic impact, launched a national conference in January on tax and social security reforms with opposition input, expanded education free of charge from April, raise income thresholds, cut income taxes, and promoted a "virtuous cycle of investment and growth”. On defense and security, she plans to accelerate defense buildup including spy-prevention law submission to Diet, enhance diplomacy with the U.S. via an early 2026 Trump summit, and cooperate across parties on security while advancing constitutional reform and imperial family issues. For social and disaster preparation, she intends to implement a 3.6 trillion yen child strategy with universal childcare access, corporate incentives for daycare, reduced burdens on low- and middle-income earners, and bolstered disaster readiness for the Nankai Trough earthquake via regional prevention and rapid aid. Politically, she seeks to solidify the coalition with the Japan Innovation Party and pursue cross-party talks on parliamentary seat cuts and other urgent reforms without delay. 

 

What are some criticisms she has faced?

Sanae Takaichi faces significant criticisms, primarily for her hawkish foreign policy stances, evasive responses in parliament, and aggressive economic approach. She drew sharp backlash for suggesting that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger Japan's "survival-threatening situation" defense clause and was accused of evading clarifications in Diet sessions, fueling chaos and international condemnation from China, which responded with trade curbs and travel warnings. She is also criticized for lacking moderating voices around her after Komeito left the coalition, with opponents arguing that her circle of hardliners risks unchecked diplomacy toward China and South Korea and weak consensus-building compared with Shinzo Abe. Her expansionary spending and record budgets have been attacked as undermining fiscal discipline, while some within the LDP reportedly hesitate to voice opposition because of her popularity. In addition, her nationalist views, including Yasukuni Shrine visits, calls to review Japan’s non-nuclear principles, and a strongly pro-Taiwan stance, are seen by critics as militaristic and as interfering in China’s internal affairs.

 

 

 

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Sources:

 

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