Overview
- Takaichi secured 237 of 465 votes in the lower house and prevailed in an upper‑house runoff to win confirmation.
- Her path was enabled by a last‑minute coalition pact with the Japan Innovation Party (Ishin) after Komeito ended a 26‑year partnership with the LDP.
- Outgoing prime minister Shigeru Ishiba and his cabinet resigned en bloc, clearing the way for the transition.
- The LDP–Ishin alignment lacks a clear majority in both chambers, forcing case‑by‑case deals to pass legislation.
- Takaichi, an Abe‑aligned conservative, is forming her cabinet as media report Satsuki Katayama is a leading candidate for finance, with economic pressures and regional tensions high on the agenda.