With months left for the Tamil Nadu Assembly election likely in April, two senior Congress leaders have questioned the ruling DMK over delays in starting seat-share discussions. Lok Sabha MPs Manickam Tagore and Karti Chidambaram said the Congress had already formed a five-member panel for talks
India Post and Emirates Post have adopted the Express Mail Service Standard Agreement. This agreement will make shipments from the UAE to India cost-effective and seamless. This collaboration strengthens postal ties between the two nations. An earlier MoU in 2022 also led to a commemorative stamp
During PM Modi's visit, Malaysia appeared more aligned with India than ever. The real impact of these moves will come to the fore in the coming months, as Malaysia is India's key ASEAN partner. New Delhi: India and Malaysia turned a new page in their bilateral relationship on Sunday
Exiled Tibetans in Dharamsala have strongly condemned claims linking the Dalai Lama to Jeffrey Epstein, calling them baseless Chinese propaganda. The Dalai Lama's office has unequivocally denied any meeting or interaction, stating the allegations are false and intended to defame the spiritual
The government's clarification that domestic and foreign investors will be treated at par when it comes to the 20-year tax holiday is an important and reassuring signal for the data centre industry, executives from firms such as Yotta and ESDS said
Japan has given Takaichi a landslide win - but can she bring back the economy?
Japan's prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, rolled the dice on a snap election - and it paid off.
She and her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) have the kind of decisive majority - 316 out of 465 seats - that few leaders have enjoyed recently. Rather, Japan has had a revolving door of prime ministers.
Now the question is what Takaichi does with it. Can she deliver what has eluded the Japanese economy for decades: faster growth?
Japan has a long list of problems: sluggish growth, public debt that is the largest in the world, and a working population that is both ageing and shrinking.
Takaichi, some observers believe, has the chance to change this, reshaping how Japan runs what is the world's fourth-largest economy - and how the markets see it.
She will steer Japan in the right direction, says Tomohiko Taniguchi, a policy adviser and former speechwriter for late prime minister Shinzo Abe.
If successful, it will serve as a premier case study for ageing societies worldwide.
Takaichi had campaigned on the promise that she will spend more, including investment in key industries, to boost growth.
This was a pivot from her predecessors. She vowed to cut taxes so people can spend more, and said growth rather than savings was the priority.
But markets were rattled with doubt over how she would fund these plans. Her overwhelming majority seems to have assured investors - and it showed in the positive market reaction to her Sunday night win.
Investors have been placing what they call the "Takaichi trade", buying Japanese shares while selling the yen and government debt. Crucially, the yen has also gone up in value - for some investors, a stronger currency is a good thing.
But it's more complicated than that.
When Takaichi came into office in October, government bond yields - effectively the interest Japan pays to borrow money - jumped.
That's a major concern for investors because of Japan's steep public debt. More spending and lower taxes - which Takaichi has been promising - means the government needs to borrow more money.
Japan's bond market is one of the largest in the world, so even small changes in Tokyo can ripple across global markets, affecting borrowing costs, investment decisions, and currencies.
Investors are also watching interest rates because the Bank of Japan is trying to move away from decades of ultra-low rates to control inflation.
The cost of rice, for example, doubled in 2025. Rising prices are a shock for a country that has become accustomed to stable or falling prices.
This was central to the message that powered Takaichi's rise: voters feel poorer and prices feel higher. After all, it was one of the issues that cost her predecessor his job.
Takaichi's proposed tax cuts may ease the pain for households in the short term.
But Keiichiro Kobayashi, professor of economics at Keio University, warns that this is a dangerous path: "An increase in spending would just stimulate inflation and increase the cost of living."
Instead, he says, the government should allow the Bank of Japan to continue raising interest rates to fight inflation, while tightening government spending, which would also satisfy investors.
Because Japan is less attractive to foreign investors when interest rates are low and government spending is high, that reduces demand for the currency and weakens it.
A weaker yen pushes up the cost of imports, especially energy and food, but it can help exporters competing with cheaper Chinese goods.
It's an incredibly delicate balancing act that Takaichi cannot escape if she wants the growth she has promised.
But the challenges go beyond markets.
Japan's population - and its workforce - has been shrinking for years. It is now one of the oldest societies in the world, putting immense pressure on public services such as healthcare and social care.
It is already facing acute labour shortages in construction, care work, agriculture and hospitality. Fewer workers mean less output and, therefore, weaker growth.
Immigration could ease this strain. Official data shows the government has quietly relaxed some rules in recent years and the number of foreign workers has risen. But there are still far fewer foreign workers in Japan compared to Europe or North America.
Takaichi has signalled she is unlikely to do much to change this because immigration is hugely sensitive, especially among her conservative base.
She and her allies say Japan should instead lean on technology, automation and higher participation by women and older workers to lift productivity.
Economists warn that may not be enough. Japan still needs more foreign workers - just as other advanced economies have long relied on them to keep their economies running.
Observers say the resistance to immigration is also part of a wider reluctance to change, which has stood in the way of innovation and reforms in the past.
But Japan needs to change - and fast, because China has already overtaken it in scale and industrial capacity, while Vietnam and other Asian economies are catching up.
Beijing is also Tokyo's biggest trading partner. And that is important for Takaichi's plan because a rebound of domestic demand will take time - until then Japan will have to rely on trade to boost growth.
But ongoing tensions with Beijing, including a dispute over rare earth exports, have exposed Japan's vulnerability in strategic supply chains. These tensions could unsettle production in electric vehicles and defence equipment too, says Naoki Hattori, chief Japan economist at Mizuho.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Takaichi has made reducing Japan's dependence on China in critical sectors like rare minerals and pharmaceuticals a priority. She has also been actively courting Trump, agreeing to raise the defence budget, a contentious move under Japan's pacifist constitution.
She has thanked Trump for his "warm words" endorsing her, saying she looked forward to visiting the White House this spring and that "the potential of our Alliance is LIMITLESS".
Takaichi rejects "equidistance" between the US and China, seeing the alliance with Washington as central to Japan's security and economic resilience, says Taniguchi.
But Japan cannot afford to choose sides outright.
Prof Kobayashi says that deepening ties with both powers is prudent, particularly as China's property crisis and slowing domestic growth could reshape Beijing's influence in the region.
Takaichi's approach seems to follow the playbook of her mentor, Shinzo Abe: big spending to stimulate growth and low interest rates to support investment.
Abe was dealing with falling prices, a stronger yen, and a far less powerful China.
Takaichi's challenges are graver: Japan is older, its economy is still growing too slowly and the world is in a very different place.
Source: BBC
Related Posts: Claire Foy says she had parasites for five years Japan PM Sanae Takaichi wins Donald Trump’s full endorsement ahead of snap election Will Sunday's snap election gamble pay off for Japan's first female premier India U-19 World Cup win Suryakumar Yadav’s 84 powers India to 29-Run win over USA at T20 WC 2026 Japan votes in snap election as PM Takaichi takes a gamble New Income Tax Draft Rules Bring Old Tax Regime Back Into Focus Dhakshineswar Suresh Shines As India Clinch 3-2 Davis Cup Win Against Netherlands Japan's PM Takaichi on course to win snap election by landslide Trump hails Japan PM Takaichi's "landslide victory"
Silver prices weaken across MCX and spot markets as global cues turn adverse. Here's what experts say about volatility ahead, technical support levels, and city-wise jewellery rates today. Silver Price Today, February 8: Silver prices have remained under pressure in recent sessions
Just now
Krrish 4 Update: Hrithik Roshan's Krrish 4 has hit yet another roadblock. The superhero flick has remained in pre-production for too long and does not seem to be going on floors any time soon. According to a latest report, Krrish 4 has been put on back burner as Hrithik and Aditya Chopra are not
Just now
Penguin Random House India has asserted its sole publishing rights for General Manoj Mukund Naravane's memoir, 'Four Stars of Destiny,' clarifying that the book has not been published or distributed. The publisher stated that any circulating copies constitute copyright infringement and legal action
Just now
India and Canada have agreed on a work plan to guide cooperation on national security and law enforcement, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Sunday. The plan includes appointing liaison officers on matters of security and law-enforcement
Just now
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi has called the SIT report an imaginary story. He stated that his wife had no FCRA violations. Gogoi also pointed out that his passport details, including any Pakistan visits, have been with the government since 2014. Guwahati: Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi termed the SIT report
Just now
The United States military has conducted a strike on a vessel in the eastern Pacific. This action resulted in the deaths of two individuals, with one survivor. The U.S. military stated the vessel was involved in narco-trafficking operations. Ecuador's Maritime Rescue Coordination Center is leading
Just now
Kanpur Lamborghini accident: The incident occurred near Jhula Park Crossing on Sunday afternoon, when the Lamborghini, which was reportedly moving at high speed, struck a parked motorcycle before hitting a passerby. Further investigation into the matter is underway
Just now
The Supreme Court has directed that the deadline for scrutinising documents and objections as part of the special intensive revision process in West Bengal be extended for at least a week after February 14. A two-judge bench also ordered the state director general of police to respond to the
Just now
TVS Motor Company has revised TVS Raider 125 prices in India, with variants seeing a marginal hike of up to Rs 1,250. The updated ex-showroom prices range from Rs 82,000 to Rs 97,050, depending on the variant and features offered. TVS Motor Company has recently updated the prices of TVS Raider 125
Just now
Rohit Shetty clarifies that Golmaal 5 is not inspired by Do Aur Do Paanch, calling circulating reports “factually incorrect and misleading.” Mumbai: As fans are getting more and more excited about Rohit Shetty's 'Golmaal 5,' several reports have started circulating on social media
Just now
The Delhi Police on Monday said it has filed a first information report in connection with the alleged circulation of an unpublished memoir of former Indian Army chief MM Naravane, PTI reported. The FIR comes in the backdrop of disruptions in Parliament since February 3
Just now
Hong Kong media tycoon and outspoken Beijing critic Jimmy Lai has been sentenced to 20 years in jail, the harshest punishment yet imposed under the city's sweeping national security law. The ruling marks a dramatic moment in the downfall of the 78-year-old self-made businessman
Just now
The BSE Sensex ended the session at 84,065.75, gaining 485.35 points (0.58 percent), while the NSE Nifty closed at 25,867.30, up 173.60 points (0.68 percent). New Delhi: Indian stock markets began the week on a positive note on Monday, with benchmark indices closing higher amid optimism over the
Just now
Messaging platform Discord announced Monday it will implement enhanced safety features for teenage users globally, including facial recognition, joining a wave of social media companies rolling out age verification systems.The rollout, beginning in early March
Just now
Bengaluru-based Sarvam AI is redefining India's role in artificial intelligence by building foundational models that excel on tasks tailored for the nation's linguistic diversity. In recent evaluations, its OCR tool and Indic voice synthesis systems registered performance that beat well-known
Just now
Pakistan will play India in the T20 World Cup as scheduled. The decision follows persuasion from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. The match is set for February 15 in Colombo. Pakistan's government confirmed the team will take the field. This ends an impasse that shadowed the tournament
Just now
Lindsey Vonn has dominated headlines once again after her dramatic outing at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Games. But here's a twist few people know: if a few things had gone differently earlier in her life, Vonn might not have been racing down mountains at all
Just now
India's Chandrayaan-4 mission, a complex lunar sample-return endeavor, is slated for 2028. ISRO has identified MM-4 in the Mons Mouton region of the Moon's South Polar area as the chosen landing site. This location offers favorable terrain characteristics for the mission's lander
Just now
Albert Camus was a French-Algerian philosopher, author, and journalist, celebrated as a major 20th-century thinker for his contributions to literature and philosophy. Albert Camus (1913–1960) was a renowned French-Algerian philosopher, writer
Just now
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu hit back at the opposition YSR Congress of ex-CM Jagan Mohan Reddy as fresh allegations of adulterated ingredients used to make laddoos at the famous Tirupati temple surfaced. Speaking to news agency PTI
Just now
As Delhi prepares to host one of the world's most high-profile technology gatherings, the national capital's hospitality sector is witnessing an extraordinary surge in demand. With the AI Impact Summit just days away, hotel tariffs across the national capital have increased to unprecedented levels
Just now
There have been countless rumours, whispers and magazine covers over the years. But very few times has Amitabh Bachchan directly addressed his alleged relationship with Rekha. One of those rare moments came during his appearance on Rendezvous with Simi Garewal
Just now
JEE Mains Exam Result 2026: The National Testing Agency (NTA) will release the JEE Main Session 1 examination results on February 12, 2026, according to the official information bulletin shared by the agency. Once all the objections received on the answer key have been reviewed by the NTA
Just now
WhatsApp is getting more features borrowed from Instagram in the last 12 months and a new report claims we might see more added to the messaging app and its new armoury. The platform has offered Status updates for its users and the new update could see us get the close friends option that will
Just now
Mumbai real estate update: Monthly, the property registrations in Jan 2026 dipped by 22% and stamp duty collections fell by 19%, according to the data The Mumbai real estate market registered 11,219 property registrations in January 2026, down 8 per cent from 12,249 during the same period last year
Just now
As the dust from what has been a hard-fought election campaign in Thailand settles, many Thais may be rubbing their eyes and asking, "what just happened?". Most of the opinion polls published before the election predicted a win for the progressive People's Party
Just now
The reaffirmation of this stand came at a time of heightened tension after Israel's security cabinet approved controversial measures that expand Israeli authority in the territory. The move has drawn international criticism. Washington: A top White House official said President Donald Trump opposes
Just now
