Tokyo: Sanae Takaichi became Japan's first female Prime Minister after securing a parliamentary vote on Tuesday, October 21, making it a historic moment in the country's post-war politics.
The 64-year-old leader, long known for her admiration of Britain's late Margaret Thatcher, achieved her decades-long ambition on her third attempt to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Her rise comes after a few turbulent weeks in Japanese politics, as alliances shifted after the LDP's coalition partner withdrew from a 26-year pact. As she takes the charge of a nation grappling with low growth, demographic decline, and regional tensions, attention now turns to her conservative ideology and expansionary economic plans.
Who Is Sanae Takaichi?
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Born in 1961 in Nara Prefecture, Western Japan, Takaichi's political journey contrasts significantly with the elite lineage LDP leadership is otherwise known for. Her father was an office worker and her mother a police officer. Before entering politics, she worked as a television presenter and once even played drums in a heavy metal band. Known for her energetic performances, she was said to carry extra drumsticks because she would often break them mid-performance.
Her political journey began in the 1980s while working in the Washington office of Democrat Patricia Schroeder, a vocal critic of Japan during a period of trade friction between the two nations. Observing how Americans often confused Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cultures, Takaichi concluded that "unless Japan can defend itself, its fate will always be at the mercy of shallow US opinion."
Sanae Takaichi when she was part of a metal band. | X/@jjohnpotter
She first ran for office as an independent candidate in 1992, losing narrowly, but won the following year and joined the LDP in 1996. Since then, she has held a seat in parliament ten times and served in multiple senior roles, including as minister for internal affairs and communications, minister for economic security, and state minister for trade and industry.
Japan's New 'Iron Lady' and Her Vision for Power
(R) Sanae Takachi with former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher (L) | X/@OhayoMybrother
Takaichi's political idol is Thatcher, whose resolve and authority earned her the monicker 'the Iron Lady'. "My goal is to become the Iron Lady," she told schoolchildren during her recent campaign.
Takaichi's leadership style and conservative outlook mirror that aspiration. Like the late Shinzo Abe, under whom she served and whom she regards as a mentor, she pledged to revive 'Abennomics', a blend of fiscal stimulus and easy monetary policy, and to reassert government influence over the Bank of Japan.
(L) Shinzo Abe and Sanae Takaichi (R) | X/@JPHappenings
She has also been an advocate of constitutional reform to ease restrictions on Japan’s Self-Defence Forces, arguing for a stronger military posture in the face of rising regional tensions. Her regular visits to Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine, which honours Japan’s war dead including convicted war criminals, have drawn criticism from China and South Korea, where the shrine is viewed as a symbol of past militarism.
Despite her hardline credentials, Takaichi sought to project a more pragmatic tone in recent years. She proposed making babysitter fees tax-deductible, offering corporate incentives for childcare services, and expanding hospital care for women’s health. “I have personally experienced nursing and caregiving three times in my life,” she said during her campaign, pledging to build “a society where people do not have to give up their careers” due to family responsibilities.
A long-time opponent of same-sex marriage and separate surnames for married couples, Takaichi’s stance appeals primarily to conservative voters. However, polls suggest that her nationalist positions resonate more strongly with men than the women of Japan.
In one of her recent campaign speeches, Takaichi also declared that Japan would not accept “Islamists or illegal migrants,” insisting that “fake refugees must be sent out if Japan is to stay Japan." her remarks were called out by critics as Islamophobic and exclusionary.
Takaichi will face the challenge of restoring faith in a party weakened by corruption scandals and competition from the far-right Sanseito party. In her victory speech, she acknowledged this erosion of support by saying, “We have received particularly harsh criticism from our core supporters, conservatives, and party members. The LDP must change for the sake of Japan’s present and future.”
As Japan’s first female leader, Takaichi's success surely marks a turning point in a political system long dominated by men. Yet, her leadership will test whether Japan’s new 'Iron Lady' can combine her conservative convictions with the demands of a country that seeks renewal amid economic and social headwinds.
