Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party secured a sweeping win in Sunday’s parliamentary elections, capturing about 316 seats in the 465-member lower house and achieving a governing supermajority alongside allies. The result gives her a strong mandate to advance a conservative agenda focused on defense, immigration and economic reforms, the Associated Press reported.
A heavy metal fan and drummer, Takaichi — who has long cited former British PM Margaret Thatcher as a personal and political inspiration — expressed gratitude for President Trump’s support, thanking him for his congratulatory message following the victory and signaling continued alignment with Washington.
Trump praised her leadership in a post after the results were announced. "Congratulations to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and her Coalition on a LANDSLIDE Victory in today’s very important Vote," Trump wrote on social media, "Sanae’s bold and wise decision to call for an election paid off big time. Her Party now runs the Legislature, holding a HISTORIC TWO THIRDS SUPERMAJORITY — The first time since World War II. Sanae: It was my Honor to Endorse you and your Coalition. I wish you Great Success in passing your Conservative, Peace Through Strength Agenda. The wonderful people of Japan, who voted with such enthusiasm, will always have my strong support."
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The election outcome represents one of the strongest performances for the ruling party in years and solidifies Takaichi’s position only months after taking office as Japan’s first female prime minister.
Following the results, Takaichi said she was prepared to move forward with policies aimed at making Japan "strong and prosperous," as she seeks to implement reforms and bolster national security, the Associated Press reported.
Her agenda includes boosting defense spending, revising security policies and stimulating economic growth, while maintaining a tougher posture toward regional threats such as China. Known for her hawkish stance on Beijing, Takaichi is expected to maintain Japan’s close alignment with the United States.
"Takaichi's landslide win shows other leaders that defiance of China can be popular with voters. Nobody has to appease or please Xi Jinping anymore," Asia analyst Gordon Chang told Fox News Digital.
U.S. officials also welcomed the outcome. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent described aid on Fox News’ "Sunday Morning Futures With Maria Bartiromo" that Takaichi is a strong ally and emphasized that her leadership strengthens the strategic partnership between Washington and Tokyo.
Takaichi’s victory is widely seen as a geopolitical signal as well as a domestic political triumph. Analysts say the strengthened mandate could deepen cooperation with the United States on security and economic policy at a time of rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific.
The snap election, called just months into her premiership, was widely viewed as a referendum on her leadership. With the opposition fragmented, voters delivered a decisive result that now gives Takaichi political space to pursue her agenda through the remainder of the parliamentary term.
Takaichi backs strengthening Japan’s defense posture and supports constitutional revision to expand the role of the military. Economically, she has praised the stimulus-driven policies associated with former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Her public thanks to Trump underscores how central the U.S. alliance remains to Tokyo’s strategy moving forward, experts say, as she prepares to translate electoral momentum into legislative and security action at home and abroad.
Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Houston Rockets star Alperen Sengun was ejected from Wednesday night’s blowout loss to the Boston Celtics after he appeared to call a female referee a "b----" during the game.
Sengun appeared to use the explicit words at Jenna Reneau after she said the ball went off him and out of bounds while he tried to establish position in the paint. He addressed the remarks after the Rockets’ win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Saturday night.
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He said he apologized to Reneau.
"Sometimes, you can’t control yourself, but I should have known better," he said. "But I fixed it, and then I went to the locker room and I apologized. I shake (her) hand and said that would never happen again. It just happened in the heat of the moment and she understood, and it was good by both ends."
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It’s unclear if Sengun will face discipline from the league. On Sunday, he was announced as an All-Star Game replacement. He and Kevin Durant were the Houston players selected for the game.
He’s started 44 games this season for Houston and is averaging 20.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.4 steals and a block per game. It will be the second time in his career that he will be an All-Star.
The Rockets are 32-19 this season after the 112-106 win over the Thunder. Houston is in fourth place in the Western Conference, trailing the Denver Nuggets by one game for third place and Oklahoma City by seven games.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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On Sunday, football fans tuning in for the Super Bowl matchup between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots will also get a first look at an ad featuring a well-known professional boxer.
Legendary boxer Mike Tyson, long known as "the baddest man on the planet," joined Fox News Channel’s "Jesse Watters Primetime" Friday night to discuss his personal health journey.
"I would get up in the morning and I would eat a lot of nothing, Captain Crunch cereal … probably two giant bowls of that for breakfast. And then later on that day, I may go get some ice cream. I would just eat a bunch of junk food when I'm at my worst. Just junk food, drinking … disastrous. It wasn't good back then for me. A lot of my friends … my wife didn't think I would make it to 60."
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When asked what steps he took to get his health on track, Tyson replied: "I first started walking 10 minutes a day… I started walking 10 mins up to an hour. Then I stopped eating everything. (The) only thing I started eating was tomato soup and rice and water."
The former undisputed heavyweight world champion highlighted the importance of taking care of the physical body. "We've only got one body. And we have one chance to really indulge in it. So I wanted to be in the best shape possible."
Tyson has experienced health issues in the past. Shortly before landing on a flight to Los Angeles in summer 2024 ahead of his high-profile bout with YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul, he received medical attention. However, medical personnel recommended that Tyson only engage in "minimal to light training over the next few weeks" at the time.
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"During a follow-up consultation on Thursday with medical professionals regarding his recent ulcer flare-up, the recommendation is for Mike Tyson to do minimal to light training over the next few weeks and then return to full training with no limitations," a statement released in late May 2024 read.
The event was originally scheduled for July but was postponed to November 2024. Paul ultimately defeated Tyson by unanimous decision. While the bout reportedly drew a record audience, the stream was marred by widespread technical issues.
Before the 2024 bout, Tyson had not fought competitively since his 2005 TKO loss to Kevin McBride. He returned briefly in an exhibition match against Roy Jones Jr. in July 2020.
Tyson said he looks forward to getting back in the ring, adding he wants to go head-to-head with Floyd Mayweather Jr. "We're going to make it happen on April 25th … around that time somewhere."
While Tyson competed in the heavyweight category and Mayweather won titles in multiple weight classes, none exceeded the 154-pound junior middleweight limit. Mayweather's last official victory in a sanctioned bout came in 2017 against MMA star Conor McGregor.
Tyson's relationship with President Donald Trump dates back decades. Tyson credited Trump for pushing him to compete in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
"That was just a great idea when he decided to have me fight in Atlantic City ... I just didn't like Atlantic City back then. I just wasn't an Atlantic City person, and he made me an Atlantic City person ... I even moved there one time. I lived there for a few years."
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