TOKYO - One week after the Lower House election that saw a sweeping victory for the ruling Liberal Democratic Party under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, 66 newly elected lawmakers are preparing to make their debut in the Diet, with some already being labeled the so-called “Takaichi Children” in a nod to the party’s strong performance.
Ahead of the convening of the Diet, certificates of election were presented on February 14th to those elected through proportional representation, many of whom secured seats as the LDP won a large number of single-member districts, allowing lower-ranked candidates on proportional lists to be elected. For many, the result came as a surprise.
The phenomenon has drawn comparisons to the “Koizumi Children,” a group of first-time lawmakers elected in large numbers during the 2005 election under then-Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. Some of those lawmakers went on to hold senior positions, including current Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama, while others lost their seats after a single term.
Nagisa Muraki, 25, the youngest newly elected female lawmaker in the latest election, said the label “children” can be divisive. “It’s a term that people have mixed feelings about,” Muraki said when asked about being called one of the “Takaichi Children.”
Muraki, whose father is a member of the Hokkaido prefectural assembly, ran in the Hokkaido proportional representation block. Ranked 14th out of 15 candidates on the list, her chances of winning had been considered slim in a region traditionally seen as a stronghold for the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. She said she had focused on supporting district candidates during the campaign, noting that seats rarely reached candidates ranked so low on the list in past elections. Her eventual victory came as a surprise even to her.
“I take the responsibility very seriously,” Muraki said, adding that she intends to work diligently in the seat she believes was secured partly due to high expectations for the Takaichi administration.
A recent FNN opinion poll conducted over the first weekend after the election showed the cabinet’s approval rating at 72.0%, up 1.2 points from the previous survey and remaining at a high level. Meanwhile, 55.6% of respondents said they viewed the election result—giving the LDP more than two-thirds of the seats in the Lower House—positively.
On February 16th at the Prime Minister’s Office, Takaichi was greeted by an unusual visitor: “Tunk Tunk,” the mascot for the International Horticultural Expo scheduled to be held in Yokohama in 2027, which called out cheerfully to the prime minister. Takaichi responded playfully, asking how she looked that day, to which the mascot replied, “You look wonderful,” prompting a lighthearted exchange.
Among the newly elected lawmakers are also members of Team Mirai, which secured 11 seats through proportional representation. Yuya Mineshima, one of its first-time lawmakers, said he hopes to draw on his experience living overseas, adding that the emergence of a second Trump administration had highlighted deep divisions abroad and underscored the need for political forces in Japan capable of preventing similar polarization.
Muraki said she is looking forward to the study sessions held in the mornings for new lawmakers. One of the few moments she smiled during interviews that day came when she spoke about her hobby of watching films. “It’s a bit embarrassing, but I like Iron Man,” she said, explaining that she was inspired by the protagonist’s transformation after witnessing the human cost of the weapons he helped create.
Source: FNN
