Japan is poised to have its first female prime minister after the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) elected conservative nationalist Sanae Takaichi as its new leader on Saturday.
The 64-year-old was chosen to head the party in an effort to rebuild public trust amid growing concerns about rising prices and immigration. Parliament is scheduled to vote on October 15 to formally select a replacement for outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Takaichi was the only woman among five LDP leadership candidates, and defeated the more moderate Shinjiro Koizumi, 44, who had been seeking to become Japan’s youngest modern leader. According to a report by Reuters, Takaichi is known for her expansionary fiscal policies and firm conservative views.
The LDP has faced turmoil and a decline in support under Ishiba, losing its majority in both houses over the past year. Competing parties such as the Democratic Party for the People and the nationalist Sanseito have gained ground, particularly among younger voters.
“Recently, I have heard harsh voices from across the country saying we don’t know what the LDP stands for anymore,” Takaichi said in a speech prior to the second round vote. “That sense of urgency drove me. I wanted to turn people’s anxieties about their daily lives and the future into hope.”
Takaichi has previously described former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as her political hero and has been a strong supporter of the late Shinzo Abe’s “Abenomics” economic strategy. She has also proposed renegotiating a trade agreement with US President Donald Trump that reduced tariffs in exchange for Japanese taxpayer-backed investments.
If confirmed as prime minister, Takaichi said she plans to travel abroad frequently to signal that “Japan is back.”
“I have thrown away my own work-life balance and I will work, work, work,” Takaichi said in a victory speech.
The 64-year-old was chosen to head the party in an effort to rebuild public trust amid growing concerns about rising prices and immigration. Parliament is scheduled to vote on October 15 to formally select a replacement for outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Takaichi was the only woman among five LDP leadership candidates, and defeated the more moderate Shinjiro Koizumi, 44, who had been seeking to become Japan’s youngest modern leader. According to a report by Reuters, Takaichi is known for her expansionary fiscal policies and firm conservative views.
The LDP has faced turmoil and a decline in support under Ishiba, losing its majority in both houses over the past year. Competing parties such as the Democratic Party for the People and the nationalist Sanseito have gained ground, particularly among younger voters.
“Recently, I have heard harsh voices from across the country saying we don’t know what the LDP stands for anymore,” Takaichi said in a speech prior to the second round vote. “That sense of urgency drove me. I wanted to turn people’s anxieties about their daily lives and the future into hope.”
Takaichi has previously described former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as her political hero and has been a strong supporter of the late Shinzo Abe’s “Abenomics” economic strategy. She has also proposed renegotiating a trade agreement with US President Donald Trump that reduced tariffs in exchange for Japanese taxpayer-backed investments.
If confirmed as prime minister, Takaichi said she plans to travel abroad frequently to signal that “Japan is back.”
“I have thrown away my own work-life balance and I will work, work, work,” Takaichi said in a victory speech.
