TOKYO: Japan is set to welcome its first female prime minister after the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) elected hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi as its next leader on Saturday.
The 64-year-old politician, born on March 7, 1961, in Yamatokoriyama City, Nara Prefecture, studied at Kobe University before working as an author, legislative aide, and broadcaster.
She entered politics in 1993 as an independent before joining the LDP, and has since been re-elected to the House of Representatives nine times.
Takaichi won the runoff with 185 votes, defeating Farm Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, who was widely expected to win, with 156 votes.
Political Path and Party Shake-Up
According to Andolu news agency, the leadership vote, initially scheduled for 2027, was brought forward after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned on Sept. 7 following the coalition’s defeat in the Upper House elections.
Takaichi had previously contested LDP leadership in 2021 and 2024 but lost both times, finishing third and then narrowly trailing Ishiba in the runoff. She will now serve the remaining two years of Ishiba’s tenure until September 2027.
Although the LDP-led coalition no longer holds a majority in parliament, Takaichi is expected to be formally elected as Japan’s 104th prime minister, marking a historic moment for the country.
Challenges Ahead
Her elevation comes as the LDP faces divisions with its coalition partner Komeito, which has expressed a preference for a more moderate prime minister.
Since the assassination of former Premier Shinzo Abe in 2022 in Takaichi’s hometown of Nara, the ruling party has been marred by scandals, including a slush fund case involving the misuse of campaign funds.
If confirmed, Takaichi will become Japan’s fourth prime minister since Abe’s death, following Yoshihide Suga, Fumio Kishida, and Shigeru Ishiba.
A Hawkish Successor to Abe
A former protégé of Abe, Takaichi served as internal affairs and communications minister under his administration from 2019 to 2020. Her hardline conservative views and hawkish stance have drawn comparisons to her late mentor.
“On the whole, she wants to go even further than Abe in building out a security establishment that will defend the Japanese people from a broader range of threats, including not only military threats, but economic security, food security, and, as she emphasized during the campaign, the threats posed by Japan’s growing foreign population and over-tourism,” said Japanese expert Tobias Harris, as cited by Nikkei Asia.
Takaichi has defended a revisionist view of Japan’s wartime history, criticizing textbooks that omit “the great achievements of our predecessors.”
“Work Like a Horse”
In her victory speech, Takaichi pledged an unrelenting work ethic for Japan’s revival.
“There are numerous policies, many of which must be implemented swiftly,” she said. “Everyone (LDP lawmakers) will be required to work – work like a horse. I will abandon the notion of work-life balance. Work, work, work, work, work – that is what I will do. I sincerely ask each and every one of you to work tirelessly in your respective fields for the sake of Japan and to rebuild the LDP.”
Earlier this week, she called Taiwan “an extremely important partner and a valued friend for Japan.”
Trade Deal Tensions with the US
Takaichi’s rise also casts uncertainty over Japan’s $550 billion investment agreement with the United States.
She has previously said Tokyo “must stand its ground” if anything “unfair that is not in Japan’s interests comes to light in the process of implementing the deal,” according to Bloomberg. She has not ruled out a renegotiation.
Her nationalist economic views align with her membership in Nippon Kaigi, Japan’s largest ultranationalist group that seeks to amend the country’s pacifist Constitution and reshape its postwar consciousness.
Controversial Yasukuni Shrine Visits
Takaichi has openly visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, dedicated to Japan’s war dead, including 14 convicted war criminals from World War II.
The shrine, built in 1869, has long been a source of diplomatic friction between Japan and its neighbors, especially China and South Korea, who view such visits as a sign that Japan has yet to fully atone for its wartime past.
Her repeated visits are expected to stir fresh controversy in regional relations as she assumes leadership of one of Asia’s most powerful democracies.
