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Takaichi wants to make Japan Inc great again

But the country’s first industrial policy in decades will face pushback from the guardians of fiscal prudence

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    • The economic blueprint that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi unveiled in June calls for 370 trillion yen (US$2.3 trillion) of domestic investment through 2040. It is an attempt to fortify Japan, economically and geopolitically, against China.
    • The economic blueprint that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi unveiled in June calls for 370 trillion yen (US$2.3 trillion) of domestic investment through 2040. It is an attempt to fortify Japan, economically and geopolitically, against China. PHOTO: REUTERS

    Gearoid Reidy

    Published Wed, Jul 8, 2026 · 06:00 PM

    IN A memorable quip during her campaign for election earlier this year, Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi promised that she would smash the button marked “growth”.

    Her strategy now pits that instinct against those who fear the country’s finances may be what gets smashed instead.

    In a land where leaders tend to last an average of about two years, yet another growth plan can elicit yawns.

    JapanDeflationEconomic stimulusIndustrial policy

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