In a historic moment for Japanese politics, Sanae Takaichi has been elected as the country’s first female Prime Minister. The vote took place in Japan’s Lower House on Tuesday after her party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), concluded a coalition agreement to support her bid.
Takaichi secured 237 votes in the 465‐seat chamber—just above the simple majority threshold—defeating opposition candidates and ending a three-month period of political uncertainty since former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned. Her appointment was subsequently approved in the Upper House, paving the way for her formal inauguration as Japan’s 104th prime minister.
Coalition Realignment and Political Context
The outcome followed a dramatic shift in Japan’s governing coalition. The LDP’s longstanding junior partner, the Komeito party, withdrew from the alliance citing ethical and ideological disagreements, leaving the LDP scrambling to secure support.
Takaichi’s path was cleared when the LDP struck a last-minute deal with the right-wing Japan Innovation Party (JIP, also known as Ishin) to form a new governing bloc—though the combined seats still leave them slightly short of a full majority.
Who is Sanae Takaichi?
At age 64, Takaichi becomes the first woman to lead both the LDP and the Japanese government. She has been a veteran LDP lawmaker since the early 1990s and has held key cabinet posts including minister of internal affairs and economic security. She is known for her conservative stance, strong defence posture, and admiration for former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Notably, she opposes same-sex marriage, separate surnames for married couples, and supports male-only imperial succession—policies that have drawn criticism from gender-equality advocates.
Policy Challenges and Priorities
Takaichi inherits a nation grappling with economic stagnation, rising inflation, an ageing population, and shifting geopolitical tensions. She has pledged to boost defence spending, revise Japan’s post-war pacifist constitution, and strengthen ties with the United States and Taiwan—all steps that may raise tensions with China.
On the economic front, she supports a continuation of “Abenomics”-style stimulus and government spending, which has triggered cautious responses from investors given Japan’s high debt levels.
Implications for Gender and Politics
Although her election is a symbolic breakthrough, many experts caution that Takaichi’s policies are unlikely to markedly improve gender equality in Japan—a country ranked low in international gender-parity indices. Her conservative social agenda may limit transformative change for women and minorities.
Some Japanese observers remarked that the significance lies less in her gender than in the ideological shift her leadership represents: a move further to the right in Japan’s politics.
