Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) achieved a landslide victory in the general election by attracting supporters from a far-right party, which an expert suggests could foster deeper cooperation between Seoul and Tokyo. Led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, the LDP secured 316 seats in the lower house, more than doubling its previous 198. Yet concerns persist over historical grievances and a potential hard-line security agenda.
In Japan's general election on Sunday, February 9, 2026, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) won 316 seats in the 465-seat lower house, up from 198 the previous year. The victory is attributed to reclaiming conservative voters from the far-right Sanseito Party, which pushed a nationalist 'Japan first' agenda including stricter immigration controls.
Andrew Oros, director of the Japan Program at the Stimson Center, stated at a Washington press meeting that the LDP's absorption of Sanseito supporters bodes well for Japan-South Korea relations. He noted that former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi's mentor who died in 2022, had somewhat mainstreamed Japan's nationalist right, making it more predictable for cooperation despite occasional diplomatic incidents.
Lingering concerns include Takaichi potentially advancing a hard-line security policy that could exacerbate historical grievances in South Korea, where memories of Japan's wartime atrocities remain vivid. Oros acknowledged constitutional revision as 'possible' with the LDP's stronger footing but highlighted Japanese disagreements on amendments, such as freedom of information and environmental issues.
At the meeting, Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center, discussed likely U.S. troop reductions in South Korea, targeting heavy army units from the 28,500-strong U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) to refocus on China. She noted debates over increasing air force presence, with some viewing South Korean bases as valuable for operations and others doubting wartime access.
Rachel Minyoung Lee, senior fellow at 38 North, said U.S. President Donald Trump's reengagement with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un would be 'very difficult' without dropping denuclearization demands. She advised waiting for North Korea's Workers' Party ninth congress late this month, expecting Kim to further bolster nuclear and conventional capabilities.
In an opinion piece, former CIA analyst Soo Kim argued that Japan's electoral consolidation clarifies strategic constraints for Seoul, urging clearer priorities on trilateral cooperation with the U.S., historical disputes, and bilateral alignment amid regional tensions.
