Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is poised for a landslide victory in snap elections, potentially securing a two-thirds majority in the lower house, according to media estimates released on February 8th, 2026. This outcome, the best for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) since 2017, could however, raise concerns in China and unsettle financial markets, according to Euronews.
The election results come as Takaichi capitalizes on her initial success as Japan's first female premier. If confirmed, the victory would surpass the LDP's performance under former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
In other news, the Alphabet-owned self-driving company Waymo is expanding its robotaxi services, with plans to launch in over a dozen new international cities, including London and Tokyo. TechCrunch reported that Waymo has secured $16 billion to fuel this expansion. Industry watchers are divided on whether this funding is sufficient, with some suggesting it "depends" on various factors.
Meanwhile, a march in San Francisco supporting California's billionaires drew a small crowd on Saturday. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that only around three dozen people attended the event, which was organized to protest the Billionaire Tax Act. The event, which included counter-protesters, generated significant social media attention.
The 2026 Super Bowl advertisements also featured a strong presence of artificial intelligence. TechCrunch noted that brands leveraged AI to create commercials and promote new AI products. Svedka Vodka, for example, aired what it claims was the first primarily AI-generated national Super Bowl spot, titled "Shake Your Bots Off," featuring its robot character Fembot.
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