Sanae Takaichi Poised to Make History as Japan's First Female Prime Minister

Sun Oct 19 2025 20:04:08 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Sanae Takaichi has been elected as the leader of Japan's ruling conservative party, setting her on a path to potentially become the country's first female prime minister amidst numerous political and economic challenges.

Sanae Takaichi, a veteran politician and member of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has been elected as the party’s new leader, paving her way to become Japan's first female prime minister. At 64, she faces significant challenges, including economic issues like inflation and wage stagnation, and she's tasked with uniting a party fractured by scandals. While Takaichi is seen as a conservative figure, her stance on women's rights and social issues has drawn criticism.

Japan's ruling conservative party has elected Sanae Takaichi as its new leader, positioning the 64-year-old to be Japan's first female prime minister.

Takaichi is among the more conservative candidates leaning to the ruling party's right. A former government minister, TV host and avid heavy metal drummer, she is one of the best known figures in Japanese politics - and a controversial one at that.

She faces many challenges, including contending with a sluggish economy and households struggling with relentless inflation and stagnant wages.

She will also have to navigate a rocky US-Japan relationship and see through a tariff deal with the Trump administration agreed by the previous government.

If confirmed as prime minister, one of Takaichi's key challenges will be uniting the party after years of turmoil, which saw it rocked by scandals and internal conflicts. The previous Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced he would step down after a series of election defeats that resulted in the LDP losing its majority in both chambers of parliament.

Prof Jeff Kingston, director of Asian Studies at Temple University, noted that Takaichi may struggle to heal the internal party rift due to her position within the LDP's right-wing faction.

She has long admired Britain's first female prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, and seeks to fulfill her 'Iron Lady' ambition, despite not being seen as a progressive advocate by many women voters.

Takaichi has opposed legislation allowing women to retain their maiden names after marriage and is not supportive of same-sex marriage. As a protégé of former leader Shinzo Abe, she aims to revive his economic strategy known as Abenomics.

While Takaichi is likely to be confirmed by parliament, her path will not be as straightforward as her predecessors due to the current weakened status of the ruling party.