LDP Landslide in Japan Spurs Rightward Shift Fears... Seoul Stresses "Trust Between Leaders"

Concerns over rightward shift... but most Japanese voters prioritize "economic measures"

Takaichi moves quickly to address inflation as a top policy priority

With the Liberal Democratic Party winning a landslide victory in the recent election for Japan's House of Representatives, concerns are emerging that the Takaichi administration may shift further to the right while emphasizing a Japan-first policy. While closely watching the impact on the trajectory of Korea-Japan relations, the government plans to maintain a virtuous-cycle approach based on "trust between the leaders."

President Lee Jaemyung and Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae are playing drums together at a reception after a summit in Nara Prefecture, Japan on the 13th of last month. Yonhap News

An official from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said at the Government Complex Seoul on the 12th, citing the active communication between the two leaders, "We hope that this will have a positive impact on Korea-Japan relations and lead to a virtuous cycle." The official particularly stressed that the trust confirmed between President Lee Jaemyung and Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae during their summit in Nara Prefecture, Japan, in January will serve as a key foundation for continuing shuttle diplomacy. The two leaders have maintained steady communication since declaring the "restoration of shuttle diplomacy" on the occasion of the APEC Summit in Gyeongju last year.

In the election for Japan's House of Representatives held on the 8th, the right-wing Liberal Democratic Party secured 316 out of the total 465 seats. This has prompted concerns that Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae, who was already known for her strong conservative stance, may move even further to the right.

However, the Foreign Ministry official cited the results of a Yomiuri Shimbun opinion poll of Japanese voters and said, "In terms of the policies that voters prioritized when choosing candidates and leaders, 'measures against rising prices and economic policies' overwhelmingly ranked first." The official added, "It is noteworthy that right after the election, Prime Minister Takaichi, in the opening remarks of her press conference, first mentioned measures to curb prices, a reduction in the consumption tax, and responsible expansionary fiscal policy." The official went on to say, "Since voters cast their ballots based on issues directly tied to their livelihoods, the center of gravity in the administration's future management is also likely to tilt toward the economy." In other words, as economic policy takes precedence, it is unlikely that the administration will pursue a politically radical shift to the right. There is also a view that the outcome of this election reflects Japanese voters' expectations for Prime Minister Takaichi's policies, rather than serving as a political or ideological judgment.

That said, concerns persist that Korea-Japan relations could become strained if the Takaichi administration, on the strength of its overwhelming majority in the Diet, pushes ahead with hardline conservative policies such as constitutional revision to lift restrictions on arms exports or to further strengthen Japan's defense capabilities. On this point, the Foreign Ministry official said, "We are aware of that," but added, "There are no concrete results yet."

Meanwhile, there is also speculation that Prime Minister Takaichi may visit Korea next month. Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump personally mentioned a "U.S.-Japan summit on the 19th of next month" on his social media, prompting predictions that Prime Minister Takaichi might visit Korea first before heading to the United States. Regarding this, the Foreign Ministry official said, "There is a general direction, but no consultations have been held on specific dates."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.