Lee congratulates Japan's PM on landslide election win

SEOUL, February 9 (AJP) - President Lee Jae-myung on Monday congratulated Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on her party's landslide victory in a snap election the previous day.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Lee said he "sincerely congratulates" the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)-led coalition on securing a majority in Japan's House of Representatives.

Wishing for Japan's continued development under Takaichi's leadership, he recalled his summit with her in Nara in January marked a "strong step forward" toward another 60 years of bilateral relations.

Lee expressed hope for continued "broader and deeper cooperation" between the two neighbors, saying he will look forward to welcoming Takaichi in Seoul soon for the next round of shuttle diplomacy.

According to public broadcaster NHK, the LDP secured 316 of 465 seats in the Diet, up 128 from its previous 198, surpassing the two-thirds threshold of 310 needed to propose constitutional amendments.

The island country's first female prime minister had called the election just four months after becoming party leader in a bid to further consolidate her power.