Japan is on the verge of making history as Sanae Takaichi wins the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), positioning her to become the country’s first-ever woman prime minister.
The 64-year-old conservative lawmaker secured victory on Saturday after defeating Shinjiro Koizumi, a 44-year-old rising political star and son of a former premier, in a tense runoff election.
Once confirmed by Japan’s parliament, Takaichi will officially become the nation’s fifth leader in five years a reflection of the country’s recent political instability.
However, despite her groundbreaking rise, political analysts warn that Takaichi’s leadership doesn’t necessarily represent a feminist milestone.
Instead, her track record shows a deep-rooted focus on national defense, economic security, and conservative social values.
A longtime ally of late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi has been vocal in her criticism of China’s military buildup and supports tighter rules on immigration and foreign influence.
She also advocates for stronger border controls positions that resonate with Japan’s right-wing voters amid growing concerns about national identity and economic pressure.
Voter frustration with inflation and a recent LDP slush fund scandal has fueled support for anti-immigration movements, prompting Takaichi to adopt a tougher stance to win back public trust.
Her reputation as a staunch nationalist is reinforced by her visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan’s war dead including convicted war criminals a practice that has drawn criticism from neighboring Asian countries.
Still, Takaichi moderated her tone in this year’s leadership race, avoiding direct pledges to visit the shrine as prime minister, a promise that hurt her campaign during her earlier run against outgoing leader Shigeru Ishiba.
A former economic security minister, Takaichi is often compared to Margaret Thatcher, whom she has publicly called her political hero.
Once a drummer in a college rock band, her “Iron Lady” persona has fueled comparisons to the late British leader.
Despite being Japan’s first woman prime minister-in-waiting, experts say she’s unlikely to challenge Japan’s patriarchal norms.
She opposes revising a 19th-century law requiring married couples to share the same surname, a rule that typically forces women to adopt their husband’s name.
Even so, in her campaign speech, she pledged to increase female representation in her cabinet to Nordic levels, acknowledging Japan’s low global gender ranking.
The country placed 118th out of 148 nations in the 2025 World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report.
Economically, Takaichi plans to continue Abenomics-style fiscal spending and aggressive monetary easing, signaling potential market shake-ups.
She has also voiced concerns over foreign economic influence and hinted at tariff renegotiations with the US if trade terms disadvantage Japan.
With her blend of conservative values, nationalist rhetoric, and promises of stability, Takaichi’s rise marks a defining moment in Japan’s modern political history one that could reshape both domestic and international expectations of Japanese leadership.
