Takaichi pledges a 'more prosperous' Japan in election debate

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged "a major shift toward responsible proactive fiscal policy" in the hope of making Japan "stronger and more prosperous" during a debate with opposition party leaders ahead of the snap election on February 8.

Takaichi said the election is necessary to see if people support her and her new coalition government. Her campaign focuses on differentiating her leadership from her predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba, promising a more decisive, "fearless" approach to strengthening Japan's economy and its international standing.