Japanese voters have handed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi a powerful mandate, delivering her ruling coalition a crushing victory in Sunday’s (Feb 8) lower house election. The nation’s political scene has been marred in recent years by scandals, shifting alliances and revolving-door leadership. But observers say Sunday’s result could signal a break from that volatility. “I think Japan will be in a relatively stable period for at least a few years,” says Kurt Tong, managing partner at strategic