As it happened: Japan PM Sanae Takaichi's ruling coalition wins super majority in lower house
The snap vote was closely watched as a test of support for Japan's first female prime minister and her ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), places a red paper rose on the name of an elected candidate at the LDP headquarters on general election day in Tokyo, Japan, Feb 8, 2026. (Photo: Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon)
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Japan Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's ruling coalition scored a landslide victory in the lower house election on Sunday (Feb 8), securing a two-thirds majority.
Her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner, the Japan Innovation Party, cruised past the threshold needed to dominate the chamber, with the LDP alone regaining majority control less than two hours after polls closed.
When Takaichi took office in October, the LDP was struggling to command the lower house after its coalition partner, Komeito, broke away.
Here are the moments leading up to the landslide victory:
