New Delhi, Feb 8 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday congratulated his Japanese counterpart, Sanae Takaichi, on her "landmark victory" in the snap elections, and expressed confidence in the India-Japan friendship to "greater heights".
"Congratulations Sanae Takaichi on your landmark victory in the elections to the House of Representatives! Our Special Strategic and Global Partnership plays a vital role in enhancing global peace, stability and prosperity. I am confident that under your able leadership, we will continue to take the India-Japan friendship to greater heights", PM Modi said in a post on X.
Prime Minister Modi had held a bilateral meeting with PM Takaichi on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg on November 23 last year, discussing ways to add momentum to bilateral cooperation in sectors like innovation, defence, and talent mobility.
"Had a productive meeting with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi of Japan. We discussed ways to add momentum to bilateral cooperation in areas such as innovation, defence, talent mobility and more. We are also looking to enhance trade ties between our nations. A strong India-Japan partnership is vital for a better planet," PM Modi had posted on X after the meeting.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) under Takaichi, Japan's first-ever woman Prime Minister, was set to win a comfortable majority on its own, and may even clinch a two-thirds majority with allies, in the snap elections held on Sunday, as per exit polls in the Japanese media.
Soon after polling closed on Sunday, an exit poll by public broadcaster NHK showed that the LDP is on course to win 274 to 328 of the 465 seats in the powerful lower house of parliament, well above the 233 needed for a majority.
Together with its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, known as Ishin, the LDP could secure as many as 366 in the House of Representatives, as per the polls.
Takaichi abruptly dissolved the lower house for a snap election on January 23, marking the first dissolution at the start of a regular parliamentary session in 60 years. She had vowed to step down if the coalition lost its majority in the election.
However, several opinion polls had set her LDP on course to a comfortable victory.
--IANS
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