Sanae Takaichi, a 64-year-old conservative politician, was elected Japan’s first female prime minister by parliament on Tuesday, securing 237 votes in the Lower House and 125 in the Upper House.
As leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), she takes office amid economic challenges, including rising costs and a rice shortage driving record prices.
Her victory marks a milestone in a nation where women have long struggled for political influence, though her conservative stance has sparked mixed reactions.
Takaichi, a protégé of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, is expected to steer Japan toward conservative policies, emphasizing increased defense spending and stricter immigration controls.
Her coalition with the right-leaning Japan Innovation Party (JIP) secured her leadership after the LDP’s long-time partner, Komeito, withdrew support.
However, the coalition falls two seats short of a Lower House majority, requiring Takaichi to navigate complex parliamentary dynamics.
Her cabinet includes only two women, with Satsuki Katayama as Japan’s first female finance minister, despite earlier promises of greater gender representation.
Takaichi inherits a struggling economy, with slow growth and rising public frustration.
Her endorsement of Abe-style fiscal stimulus has boosted stock markets, but concerns linger over Japan’s high debt and the yen’s weakening.
Internationally, she faces delicate relations with South Korea due to her nationalist views and an upcoming meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has questioned the U.S.-Japan security treaty.
Takaichi’s hawkish stance on China and her push to revise Japan’s pacifist constitution signal a bold agenda, but public trust in the LDP, battered by recent scandals and electoral losses, remains a hurdle.