Move FM Global News

TOKYO, Japan: Sanae Takaichi, leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was sworn in on October 21 as Japan’s first female prime minister after winning a vote in the lower house of parliament.

Takaichi secured 237 votes, more than half of the 465-seat chamber, according to parliamentary officials. The upper house also approved her appointment, making her Japan’s 104th prime minister. She replaced Shigeru Ishiba, who resigned last month after taking responsibility for the party’s poor election results.

Takaichi faces many challenges, including a slow economy, rising prices, and stagnant wages that have put pressure on households. She will also have to handle tense relations with the United States and complete a tariff deal previously negotiated with the Trump administration.

One of her most challenging tasks will be to unite her divided party after several years of scandals and internal disputes. Ishiba, who served just over a year, stepped down following election losses that cost the LDP-led coalition its majority in both houses of parliament.

Jeff Kingston, a professor at Temple University in Tokyo, told the BBC that Takaichi is unlikely to mend the party’s divisions. He said she belongs to the hardline faction of the LDP, which believes the party lost support because it strayed from its conservative roots. “She might win back right-wing voters,” he said, “but that could cost her broader public support in future elections.”

Takaichi has often said she admires former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and sees herself as following in her footsteps. However, many women voters do not view her as a champion of women’s rights.

A staunch conservative, she opposes laws that would let women keep their maiden names after marriage, saying it goes against Japanese tradition. She also opposes same-sex marriage.

A protégé of the late former prime minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi has promised to revive his “Abenomics” economic policies, which focus on heavy government spending and low interest rates.

Takaichi, 64, who grew up near Japan’s ancient capital of Nara, is a complex figure who resists simple description. She has openly discussed how difficult it is for women to succeed in Japanese politics, yet now leads the conservative, male-dominated LDP. While she has voiced worries about Japan depending too much on the United States, she has also said she wants to build a strong partnership with President Trump. A hobby drummer who loves rock bands like Iron Maiden and Deep Purple, she often wears blue suits as a tribute to Margaret Thatcher.

Known for her strong views on national security, she supports revising Japan’s pacifist constitution. She also regularly visits the Yasukuni Shrine, a controversial memorial that honors Japan’s war dead, including some convicted war criminals.