STORY: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi was officially confirmed by lawmakers on Wednesday (February 18), ten days after a snap election that saw her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) win a landslide victory.

Takaichi took 354 of the 464 votes cast by members of Japan’s House of Representatives. The governing coalition of her LDP and the Japan Innovation Party currently holds 352 seats in the lower house.

Takaichi is expected to convene her new cabinet later on Wednesday.

Junya Ogawa, leader of the main opposition Centrist Reform Alliance party, received 50 votes from lawmakers.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

VIDEO SHOWS: MEMBERS OF JAPANESE LOWER HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT VOTING TO CONFIRM SANAE TAKAICHI AS PRIME MINISTER

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: TOKYO, JAPAN (FEBRUARY 18, 2026) (JAPAN POOL - No use Japan)

1. LAWMAKERS FROM JAPAN’S HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES VOTING FOR THEIR PREFERRED CANDIDATE TO BECOME PRIME MINISTER

2. LAWMAKERS PUTTING VOTING CARDS IN BOX

3. VARIOUS OF LAWMAKERS LINING UP AND VOTING

4. JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER, SANAE TAKAICHI, WATCHING VOTE TAKE PLACE

5. VARIOUS OF LAWMAKERS VOTING

6. TAKAICHI CASTING HER VOTE

7. TAKAICHI WALKING BACK TOWARDS HER SEAT

8. VARIOUS OF LAWMAKERS VOTING

9. VARIOUS OF TAKAICHI SPEAKING TO FORMER LEADERSHIP RIVAL, SHINJIRO KOIZUMI

10. CLERKS EMPTYING BALLOT BOX / SHOWING EMPTY BOX TO ASSEMBLED LAWMAKERS

11. VARIOUS OF VOTE COUNT IN PROGRESS

12. LAWMAKERS SEATED

13. TAKAICHI SEATED

14. (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, EISUKE MORI, SAYING:

“As a result, pursuant to Article 18, Paragraph 2 of the rules of the House of Representatives, this house has decided to select Sanae Takaichi as Prime Minister of Japan.”

15. LAWMAKERS APPLAUDING / TAKAICHI STANDING AND BOWING

16. LAWMAKERS APPLAUDING