Japan is on the brink of a historic first after the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) elected Sanae Takaichi as its new leader, positioning the 64-year-old to become the country’s first female prime minister.
Takaichi, a veteran lawmaker, former government minister, and one-time television host, has long been one of the most recognizable and polarizing figures in Japanese politics. A committed conservative, she inherits a party weakened by electoral defeats and plagued by internal rifts following the abrupt resignation of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba last month.
Analysts warn that uniting the LDP may prove her toughest challenge. Prof Jeff Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Temple University in Tokyo, told the BBC that Takaichi is unlikely to heal the party’s fractures, saying she represents the “hardline” faction determined to restore the party’s right-wing identity.
“She’s in a good position to regain right-wing voters, but at the expense of wider popular appeal if they go into a national election,” Kingston said.
A protégé of the late former prime minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi has pledged to revive his economic strategy, Abenomics, through heavy public spending and low borrowing costs. She is advocating for security and has vowed to push for revisions to Japan’s pacifist post-war constitution, an issue that has divided the electorate for decades.
Her conservative social views, however, risk alienating younger and more liberal voters. She has consistently opposed legalizing same-sex marriage and has resisted efforts to allow women to keep their maiden names after marriage, arguing it undermines tradition.
Takaichi is also a regular visitor to the controversial Yasukuni shrine, where Japan’s war dead, including convicted war criminals, are memorialized. Her visits have previously drawn criticism from Japan’s neighbors, particularly China and South Korea.
Beyond politics, she faces formidable economic challenges. Japan continues to struggle with sluggish growth, rising inflation and stagnant wages. Households are feeling the squeeze, while her government must also navigate trade tensions with the United States under the Trump administration and manage regional security concerns.
Despite the historic nature of her appointment, many female voters remain skeptical that Takaichi will advance gender equality. While she has often compared herself to Britain’s Margaret Thatcher, critics argue she has done little to empower women or advance their rights.
“She calls herself Japan’s Margaret Thatcher. In terms of fiscal discipline, she’s anything but Thatcher,” said Kingston. “But like Thatcher, she’s not much of a healer. I don’t think she’s done much to empower women.”
If confirmed by parliament in the coming weeks, a process made less straightforward by the LDP’s weakened majority, Takaichi will make history.
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