The Pakistani prime minister expressed readiness to strengthen cooperation with Japan under the new government
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday congratulated Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on her historic election victory and reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire to deepen bilateral ties with Tokyo.
In a message posted on social media, Shehbaz Sharif extended his best wishes to Prime Minister Takaichi and noted that her decisive victory reflected the confidence of the Japanese people in her leadership. He said Pakistan looked forward to working closely with Japan under her leadership to further strengthen cooperation in trade, investment and regional stability.
Congratulations to HAN Ms. Sanae Takaichi @takaichi_sanae about her re-election as Prime Minister of Japan.
We look forward to continuing to work with Prime Minister Takaichi to further strengthen and diversify our excellent bilateral relations with Japan.— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) 9 February 2026
Prime Minister Takaichi’s coalition swept to a landmark victory in Japan’s lower house election on Sunday, securing a two-thirds supermajority that significantly eases her legislative agenda. Her Liberal Democratic Party won 316 of the 465 seats, the best result ever, while the ruling coalition secured a total of 352 seats.
Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, has promised sweeping economic and security reforms, including tax cuts and increased defense spending aimed at addressing regional security challenges. Speaking to local media after the results, she said the election represented a clear endorsement of major policy changes in economic governance and national security.
Read: Pakistan and Japan pledge to strengthen ties
World leaders have moved quickly to congratulate Takaichi, with US President Donald Trump calling the result a great success and praising her decision to seek a new mandate through early elections.
Observers say the strong mandate could advance Tokyo’s political agenda, but it has also raised concerns in financial markets over the financing of proposed tax cuts, while her emphasis on defense and security has drawn criticism from China.
