Overview
- The Special Diet elected Sanae Takaichi as Japan’s 105th prime minister and she immediately reappointed all ministers, launching the second Takaichi Cabinet with the Japan Innovation Party as coalition partner.
- Takaichi set an urgent agenda that includes a two‑year zero rate on food consumption tax via a cross‑party national council and the creation of a National Intelligence Agency through legislation in the current special session.
- She also signaled intent to pursue constitutional revision and changes to the Imperial Household Law, alongside stronger diplomacy and expansive fiscal policy.
- The ruling bloc aims to shorten Diet deliberations to secure FY2026 budget passage by March, though some lawmakers question the feasibility and opposition parties have raised concerns.
- Regional and legal developments advanced, with Osaka unveiling a record FY2026 budget featuring about ¥12.45 billion for Yumeshima IR land work, Hakodate moving to open a nursing faculty by 2030 subject to funding and student recruitment, and the Supreme Court unanimously striking down blanket disqualification of adult guardianship users as unconstitutional.