Tokyo (TDI): Sanae Takaichi was elected Japan’s first female prime minister on Tuesday, breaking a historic gender barrier while signaling a decisive shift toward conservative policies in the world’s third-largest economy.
A close ally of former leader Shinzo Abe and a self-professed admirer of Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi is expected to revive elements of Abe’s economic playbook, combining government spending with loose monetary policy, in an effort to reinvigorate an economy struggling with sluggish growth and persistent inflation, according to Reuters.
While her victory is a landmark moment for women in Japanese politics, Takaichi’s cabinet lineup fell short of her campaign promises on gender representation. Of the 19 ministers appointed, only two are women, far below the Nordic-style parity she once pledged.
Takaichi’s ascent cements the rightward tilt of Japanese politics, aligning the country with broader conservative trends in Europe and the United States. She received 237 votes in the 465-seat lower house and secured a similar majority in the upper house, ensuring her formal appointment.
Her election followed an agreement between her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japan Innovation Party (Ishin) to form a coalition government. Together, the two parties are still two seats short of a lower house majority, meaning her administration will need to court cooperation from opposition lawmakers to function effectively.
The LDP’s longtime coalition with the moderate Komeito Party collapsed earlier this month, ending a 26-year alliance after Komeito balked at Takaichi’s hardline positions.
Takaichi appointed Satsuki Katayama as finance minister, Japan’s first woman to hold the post, and Kimi Onoda as economic security minister. Despite these groundbreaking appointments, women still account for only 16 percent of her cabinet, including Takaichi herself.
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Financial markets reacted quickly to her victory. Expectations of renewed fiscal stimulus, dubbed the “Takaichi trade”, pushed the Nikkei index to record highs on Tuesday. But investors are divided: while equities surged, the yen weakened and bond prices fell, reflecting concern about Japan’s already massive debt burden.
Takaichi has pledged to make defense and national security the cornerstone of her administration. She has vowed to raise defense spending and strengthen security ties with the United States. According to reports, U.S. President Donald Trump could visit Japan as early as next week.
Known for her visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which many of Japan’s neighbors view as a symbol of wartime aggression, Takaichi has also called for a revision of Japan’s pacifist constitution to explicitly recognize the country’s Self-Defense Forces.
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Her cabinet includes Shinjiro Koizumi as defense minister and veteran diplomat Toshimitsu Motegi as foreign minister.
Takaichi succeeds Shigeru Ishiba, who resigned last month after his party suffered significant election losses. She will be sworn in Tuesday evening as Japan’s 104th prime minister, and its first woman to hold the post.
