Issued on: 08/02/2026 - 20:55Modified: 09/02/2026 - 14:54

The political gamble appears to have paid off. After less than four months in office, Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called a snap election and is now on course for a landslide victory. In this edition of Spotlight, we profile the rise of a former heavy metal drummer and self-declared Margaret Thatcher fan: Sanae Takaichi. FRANCE 24’s Gavin Lee is joined by Kristi Govella, Associate Professor of Japanese Politics and International Relations at the Nissan Institute of Japanese Studies.

Produced by Gavin Lee, Alessandro Xenos, Maya Yataghene and Guillaume Gougeon

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