“Pushing the growth button is the task of the Takaichi cabinet. Japan will become even wealthier and safer,” the 64-year-old prime minister promised at a rally in Tokyo to thousands of supporters.
Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister in October and in mid-January called early parliamentary elections for Feb. 8, hoping to use strong public support for her government to secure a stronger mandate.
Opinion polls show Takaichi’s ruling bloc has a good chance of winning two-thirds of seats in the lower house of parliament on Sunday.
Takaichi, leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), initially led a minority government, but in November, along with coalition partner Innovation Party (“Ishin”), the LDP regained a majority in the lower house of parliament.
The ruling coalition in the upper house is still in the minority.
Takaichi hopes a bigger majority will help her push through her agenda of more proactive fiscal spending and stronger intelligence capabilities.