The Tamesis
April 15, 2026
Tokyo – Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made it clear at the Liberal Democratic Party’s congress on Sunday that she will actively promote policies with her own flavor, such as amending the constitution, ensuring a stable succession to the throne and building a strong economy.
The move comes against the backdrop of the party’s landslide victory in February’s House of Representatives election, which sparked an enthusiastic response from the public.
However, since the Liberal Democratic Party is still a minority party in the Senate, some party members have called for expanding the framework of the ruling coalition.
“In the House elections, we campaigned on policies that divided public opinion and won the most seats in history,” Takaichi said at the convention. “The public gave us a strong push to accomplish major policy shifts at all costs,” she added, expressing determination to achieve the conservative policies she values and pursue aggressive fiscal policies.
Takaichi, who is also the president of the Liberal Democratic Party, spoke at the convention for about 20 minutes. Regarding the constitutional amendment, she expressed her intention to advance discussions in Congress. “To fulfill the public trust reposed in them, all politicians must do is engage in discussions and make decisions.”
She also addressed the issue of stable royal succession, calling for changes to the Royal Family Act to confer royal status through the adoption of male members of the paternal line of the former royal branch. “The historical fact of imperial succession is the source of the emperor’s authority and legitimacy.”
As for building a “strong economy” through economic growth, the Prime Minister said: “What is most lacking now is domestic investment. We will take decisive action to promote the construction of an economic structure that is resistant to exchange rate fluctuations.”
She also vowed to fulfill the promises made by the party in the recent House of Representatives elections and win next year’s local unity elections and the 2028 Senate elections.
About 2,100 MPs, rank-and-file party members and others attended the convention, where the party’s joy at its landslide victory in the House of Representatives elections was still palpable.
“We were able to share a positive stance in an optimistic atmosphere,” said Takayuki Kobayashi, chairman of the party’s policy research committee.
Hirobumi Yoshimura, governor of Osaka Prefecture and leader of the Reform Party, who attended the meeting as a guest, told the prime minister that “Prime Minister Takaichi is the source of power.”
However, the ruling party does not have a majority in the upper house, so important bills are likely to be defeated in the lower house.
After the party congress, Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki talked about the need to expand the coalition framework. “In order to stabilize the party’s foundation, we are also considering seeking more forms of cooperation. [larger] Alliance,” he said.
Some party members believe that Suzuki’s remarks were motivated by the Democratic Party’s considerations. The Liberal Democratic Party has been seeking an alliance with the Liberal Democratic Party. “There is no need to change the goal of forming an alliance with the LDP,” said an LDP executive.
