Outlook for Domestic Japanese Politics in 2026 (Dr. Izuru Makihara, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Tokyo)

In October 2025, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi became the first woman to be prime minister in Japan, and formed a minority government with the Japan Innovation Party. Without a majority in the House of Councillors, her administration is facing numerous important challenges such as increasing defensive capabilities, ensuring sufficient social welfare, support for childcare, and responding to climate change. Considering the administration’s power base and policy issues, there are variety of opinions from Japan and abroad on how stable the government will be, and there is high interest in what the outlook will be for domestic Japanese politics in 2026.

The FPCJ has invited Dr. Izuru Makihara, an expert in public administration and Japanese political history who makes frequent comments in the media and a professor at the University of Tokyo Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, to discuss domestic Japanese political trends in 2026.


Please note that you cannot physically attend this briefing, as it will be a Zoom webinar.

Embassy representatives and FPCJ supporting members may also participate in the briefing as observers (admission free).

As in our standard press briefings, there will be a Q&A session at the end.
*In principle, questions will only be accepted from members of the foreign press.

Please send any questions for the briefer or topics you are interested in to cp@fpcjpn.or.jp by 12:00 on Friday, January 30.
As there will only be a limited amount of time to ask questions during the briefing, we will collect questions and provide them to the briefer in advance.

■How to Apply: Please refer to the email we sent.
*We will not be accepting applications by email.