Many observers of Japanese politics called the magnitude of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s overwhelming victory in last weekend’s snap election “unexpected.” It wasn’t.

Her win reminded me of a saying favored by Katsuya Nomura, the legendary Japanese baseball manager who died in 2020 and revolutionized the sport with data-driven strategy: "Victory may come by chance, but defeat never comes by chance."

Takaichi and her ruling conservative Liberal Democratic Party, which won the most Lower House seats of any party since World War II, may have benefited from favorable conditions. But the blowout of the Centrist Reform Alliance was not due to bad luck. Losses often stem from mistakes, poor preparation or an opponent’s superior strategy. Calling the result “unexpected” is an excuse.

© The Japan Times