Commentary
Polls suggest Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling coalition is headed for a strong victory in the upcoming election on Feb. 8. From a national security perspective, this would be good for Japan and for the United States.
Thinking About China
Opinion
Takaichi: A Prime Minister With a Backbone and Common Sense
Takaichi understands that Japan’s strategic interests depend on a close relationship with America.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (C, front row) poses during a photo session with members of her cabinet at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Oct. 21, 2025. Jia Haocheng/AFP via Getty Images
Grant Newsham
Author
Grant Newsham is a retired U.S. Marine officer and a former U.S. diplomat and business executive with many years in the Asia/Pacific region. He is a senior fellow with the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies (Tokyo) and Center for Security Policy and the Yorktown Institute in Washington, D.C. He is the author of the best selling book “When China Attacks: A Warning to America.”
