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Sanae Takaichi set to become Japan’s first female Prime Minister
Sanae Takaichi, a hardline nationalist, was elected on Saturday as the head of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), positioning her to become the country’s first female Prime Minister.
The 64-year-old politician succeeds Shigeru Ishiba, who resigned after losing public support amid rising living costs. Takaichi won the LDP leadership runoff against Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, 44, with strong backing from the party’s conservative wing.
Although her election marks a historic moment for Japan, analysts caution that it is not a feminist victory. Takaichi is known for her staunch nationalism, close ties to the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and a political agenda centered on defense expansion, economic security, and strict immigration controls.
She has pledged to “rebuild the LDP” after recent electoral setbacks and revive Japan’s struggling economy through aggressive monetary easing and increased public spending — echoing Abe’s “Abenomics.”
A self-declared admirer of Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi also supports renegotiating trade terms with the United States and tightening property purchase rules for foreigners.