Japan has made history with the election of Sanae Takaichi as its first female prime minister, marking a milestone in a nation where women have long been underrepresented in politics.
Takaichi, 64, a hardline conservative and leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was elected by lawmakers on Tuesday, October 21. She won 237–149 votes in the lower house of parliament, defeating her closest rival, Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the opposition Constitutional Democratic Party. In the upper house, she secured victory by 125–46 votes after an earlier round fell short by one vote.
A protégé of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi has long been known for her strong nationalist views. She supports strengthening Japan’s military, tightening immigration policies, and revising the country’s pacifist constitution. Over the years, she has held several key cabinet positions, including Minister of Economic Security, Internal Affairs, and Gender Equality.
Her rise to power follows her recent election as LDP leader earlier this month, after two previous unsuccessful bids in 2021 and 2024. However, her path to the premiership was complicated when the centrist Komeito Party, a crucial coalition partner, withdrew its support. To secure her position, the LDP struck a last-minute alliance with the right-leaning Japan Innovation Party (Ishin) on Monday — a move expected to shift the coalition further to the right.
Despite her victory, Takaichi begins her tenure with limited parliamentary strength, as the LDP continues to face backlash from corruption scandals and rising living costs. “She emerges from this a diminished leader from the get-go,” said Jeff Kingston, a professor of Asian studies and history at Temple University’s Japan campus.
Takaichi’s first major challenge will come quickly, with U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled to visit Japan next week as part of his Asia tour, which also includes Malaysia and South Korea. “She doesn’t have a whole lot of time to get ready for a slew of diplomatic activity,” Kingston added. “But I think job one is the Japanese economy.”
Takaichi’s election represents both a symbolic breakthrough and a political test for Japan — one that will measure how far the country has come, and how much further it is willing to go, in redefining its leadership landscape.