TOKYO, Feb 17 (News On Japan) –
One week after the Lower House election that noticed a sweeping victory for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party beneath Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, 66 newly elected lawmakers are making ready to make their debut within the Diet, with some already being labeled the so-called “Takaichi Children” in a nod to the occasion’s sturdy efficiency.
Ahead of the convening of the Diet, certificates of election have been offered on February 14th to these elected via proportional illustration, lots of whom secured seats because the LDP gained numerous single-member districts, permitting lower-ranked candidates on proportional lists to be elected. For many, the outcome got here as a shock.
The phenomenon has drawn comparisons to the “Koizumi Children,” a gaggle of first-time lawmakers elected in massive numbers through the 2005 election beneath then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Some of these lawmakers went on to carry senior positions, together with present Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama, whereas others misplaced their seats after a single time period.
Nagisa Muraki, 25, the youngest newly elected feminine lawmaker within the newest election, mentioned the label “children” could be divisive. “It’s a term that people have mixed feelings about,” Muraki mentioned when requested about being known as one of many “Takaichi Children.”
Muraki, whose father is a member of the Hokkaido prefectural meeting, ran within the Hokkaido proportional illustration block. Ranked 14th out of 15 candidates on the record, her probabilities of successful had been thought-about slim in a area historically seen as a stronghold for the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. She mentioned she had centered on supporting district candidates through the marketing campaign, noting that seats not often reached candidates ranked so low on the record in previous elections. Her eventual victory got here as a shock even to her.
“I take the responsibility very seriously,” Muraki mentioned, including that she intends to work diligently within the seat she believes was secured partly as a result of excessive expectations for the Takaichi administration.
A latest FNN opinion ballot carried out over the primary weekend after the election confirmed the cupboard’s approval score at 72.0%, up 1.2 factors from the earlier survey and remaining at a excessive degree. Meanwhile, 55.6% of respondents mentioned they considered the election outcome—giving the LDP greater than two-thirds of the seats within the Lower House—positively.
On February sixteenth on the Prime Minister’s Office, Takaichi was greeted by an uncommon customer: “Tunk Tunk,” the mascot for the International Horticultural Expo scheduled to be held in Yokohama in 2027, which known as out cheerfully to the prime minister. Takaichi responded playfully, asking how she appeared that day, to which the mascot replied, “You look wonderful,” prompting a lighthearted alternate.
Among the newly elected lawmakers are additionally members of Team Mirai, which secured 11 seats via proportional illustration. Yuya Mineshima, one among its first-time lawmakers, mentioned he hopes to attract on his expertise dwelling abroad, including that the emergence of a second Trump administration had highlighted deep divisions overseas and underscored the necessity for political forces in Japan able to stopping related polarization.
Muraki mentioned she is wanting ahead to the examine periods held within the mornings for brand new lawmakers. One of the few moments she smiled throughout interviews that day got here when she spoke about her interest of watching movies. “It’s a bit embarrassing, but I like Iron Man,” she mentioned, explaining that she was impressed by the protagonist’s transformation after witnessing the human price of the weapons he helped create.
Source: FNN