Tokyo — Japan has entered a new chapter in its political history. Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Sanae Takaichi has become the country’s first female prime minister, a milestone that marks a turning point in Japanese politics.
On Tuesday, Japan’s lower house of parliament officially approved Takaichi as prime minister following her election as head of the ruling LDP on October 4. She secured 237 votes out of 465, passing the 233 needed for a majority, according to Reuters.
At 64, Takaichi’s appointment crowns a political career that began in media and communications. In her early years, she worked as a television newscaster and even played drums in a heavy metal band before stepping into politics. She was first elected to parliament in 1993, beginning a public career that has now spanned three decades.
Takaichi’s win comes after two earlier defeats in LDP leadership races in 2021 and 2024. On her third attempt, she surprised many by defeating Shinjiro Koizumi, the son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, to secure both party leadership and the top office.
A Conservative Leader and Her Political Ideology
While Takaichi’s rise is a breakthrough for women in Japanese politics, her views remain strongly conservative. She opposes allowing married couples to keep separate surnames and rejects the idea of women inheriting the imperial throne.
Critics see this as a contradiction — a woman reaching the nation’s highest office while resisting certain gender equality reforms. “She is a powerful woman,” one analyst said, “but her beliefs may hold back broader progress for women in Japan.”
Takaichi often points to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as her role model, admiring the strength that earned Thatcher the nickname “Iron Lady.” Her own leadership style reflects that same discipline and decisiveness.
Economically, Takaichi follows the path set by the late Shinzo Abe, under whose leadership she rose within the party. Abe’s “Abenomics” policy — which combined bold monetary expansion, flexible government spending, and structural reforms — sought to revive Japan’s long-stagnant economy. Though not strictly conservative in fiscal terms, that approach has shaped Takaichi’s economic philosophy.
Defense, Foreign Policy, and the Road Ahead
Takaichi supports revising Japan’s pacifist constitution to build a stronger Self-Defense Force. She argues that Japan must take a firm stance against growing security threats from China and North Korea.
Analysts warn that this could strain ties not only with those nations but also with South Korea, one of Japan’s closest allies in the region. Her firm nationalist stance and views on wartime history are expected to attract both domestic backing and international scrutiny.
On social issues, Takaichi holds conservative and often divisive positions. She opposes same-sex marriage, large-scale immigration, and the proposal to allow female succession to the throne. “Japan must preserve its traditions and identity,” she said recently, “not imitate Western values.”
Japan’s younger generation, however, is increasingly vocal about equality and inclusion. Many see her rise as symbolic progress but question whether her leadership will bring real social change.
With Sanae Takaichi taking office, Japan has, for the first time, placed a woman in its highest political position. Yet debate continues over whether her tenure will bring true transformation or simply extend conservative rule under a new face. As she begins her term, the world will be watching closely to see how Japan’s first female prime minister balances tradition, reform, and global expectations.
