Japan's 2026 Snap Election, with Dr Sheila Smith

Japan’s snap election delivered one of the biggest political surprises in years as Prime Minister Takaichi's LDP won 316 seats, securing a lower house two-third majority. In this episode, Dr. Sheila Smith, the John E. Merow Senior Fellow for Asia‑Pacific Studies, explains the key reasons behind Takaichi’s unexpected landslide: why she called the snap election, how the opposition failed to challenge Takaichi, and what the rise of new parties like Sanseito and Mirai no Tō tells us about changing voter priorities. She also breaks down the bigger forces shaping Japanese politics today: divisions inside the LDP, Takaichi’s direct and sometimes polarizing leadership style, and the policy debates shaping the agenda.