Tokyo (TDI): Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has chosen Sanae Takaichi as its new leader, positioning her to make history as the country’s first female prime minister.
The 64-year-old conservative politician, who previously served as internal affairs minister, won the leadership contest on Saturday, defeating the younger and more moderate Shinjiro Koizumi. Takaichi was the sole woman among five candidates vying for the top post.
Her victory puts her on track to succeed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, with parliament scheduled to hold a vote on October 15. As the LDP remains the largest party in the legislature, she is widely expected to secure the position, although the party’s recent losses in both chambers have raised some uncertainty.
In her campaign, Takaichi pledged to restore public trust in the LDP at a time when frustration over rising living costs has been pushing many voters, especially the young, toward opposition parties such as the Democratic Party for the People and the nationalist Sanseito.
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“People all over the country are asking what the LDP really stands for,” she said ahead of the final round of voting. “I wanted to turn their anxiety about daily life and the future into hope.”
A staunch supporter of former prime minister Shinzo Abe’s “Abenomics” program, she has voiced skepticism over recent Bank of Japan interest rate hikes and suggested that Tokyo may seek to revisit parts of a trade deal struck with US President Donald Trump. Her economic stance, favoring aggressive government spending and loose monetary policy, could unsettle investors worried about Japan’s already heavy debt burden.
On foreign policy, Takaichi is known for her hawkish positions. She has regularly visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, drawing criticism from South Korea and China, and has advocated revising Japan’s pacifist constitution. She also floated the idea of forming a “quasi-security alliance” with Taiwan, an idea likely to inflame tensions with Beijing.
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Comparing herself to Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s first female prime minister, Takaichi has promised to adopt a bold and disruptive style of leadership. If confirmed, she has vowed to travel abroad frequently to signal that “Japan is back.”
She is expected to hold her first press conference as party leader later today at 0900 GMT.
