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Takaichi Becomes Japan’s First Female Prime Minister

Sanae Takaichi

Japan has appointed Sanae Takaichi as its first female Prime Minister, ending decades of male-dominated leadership in the world’s third-largest economy.

Takaichi, 64, a staunch conservative and outspoken China critic, was confirmed on Tuesday after winning a slim majority in the lower house of parliament and securing a runoff victory in the upper chamber.

She takes office amid political turbulence, leading a minority government and faces immediate challenges including economic stagnation, population decline, and tense foreign relations ahead of US President Donald Trump’s visit next week.

Naijaonpoint reports that a former heavy metal drummer, Takaichi became head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on October 4, 2025.

The LDP, which has governed Japan for most of the past seven decades, has seen declining public trust following corruption scandals and falling approval ratings.

The new Prime Minister secured power after forming a last-minute coalition with the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), a reformist right-leaning bloc.

The deal was signed late Monday after the LDP’s longtime ally, the Komeito Party, withdrew from the coalition, citing discomfort with Takaichi’s conservative views and a party funding scandal.

“We will make Japan’s economy stronger and reshape Japan as a country that can be responsible for future generations,” Takaichi pledged at the signing ceremony.

Japan’s First Woman in Power Promises ‘Nordic-Level’ Female Representation

Known for her admiration of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi said her cabinet would feature “Nordic levels of women”, a significant step up from the two female ministers in the outgoing government.

Local media report that right-wing lawmaker Satsuki Katayama could head the Finance Ministry, while Kimi Onoda, who has dual Japanese-American heritage, may become Economic Security Minister.

Japan ranked 118th out of 148 countries in the 2025 World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report, with women making up only 15 percent of lawmakers in the lower house and minimal representation in corporate leadership.

Despite this, Takaichi remains opposed to revising Japan’s 19th-century law requiring married couples to share the same surname, and she supports maintaining male-only succession in the imperial family.

“She’s a strong-minded person, regardless of being a woman,” said 76-year-old Nara resident Toru Takahashi. “She’s not like Trump. But she’s clear about what’s right and wrong.”

Naijaonpoint reports that Takaichi has spoken openly about her experience with menopause, vowing to raise awareness of women’s health issues, a topic rarely discussed in Japan’s political sphere.

Japan’s economy faces mounting pressure, with inflation rising and public debt reaching record highs.

Takaichi’s coalition partner, the JIP, is pushing to cut the consumption tax on food to zero, abolish corporate donations, and reduce the number of lawmakers.

Meanwhile, the United States is seeking clarity on Japan’s proposed $500 billion trade and investment deal and wants Tokyo to end Russian energy imports while increasing defence spending.

Takaichi’s foreign policy stance, once sharply critical of China, has softened in recent weeks.

According to AFP, she notably skipped a visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, a controversial memorial for Japan’s war dead, to avoid straining diplomatic ties.

Still, she has consistently called for stronger security cooperation with Taiwan and warned that Japan must remain alert to “security threats from Beijing.”

It is expected that she will also need to rebuild public trust in the LDP, which suffered major electoral setbacks under former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.

While many citizens welcomed Japan’s historic milestone, others remained cautious about what lies ahead.


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