Sanae Takaichi elected leader of Japan’s ruling party, poised to become first female prime minister
Takaichi, 64, overcame two previous failed attempts to secure the top post, defeating rival Shinjiro Koizumi in a runoff vote that highlighted her appeal among the party’s conservative base.
Sanae Takaichi has been elected as the first female leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, setting the stage for her to become the country’s first female prime minister.
Takaichi, 64, overcame two previous failed attempts to secure the top post, defeating rival Shinjiro Koizumi in a runoff vote that highlighted her appeal among the party’s conservative base.
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“I am determined to confront various issues rather than feel happy,” Takaichi told a gathering of LDP leaders following her victory.
“The LDP must change for the sake of Japan’s present and future. We will always put the national interest first and manage the country with a sense of balance.”
Takaichi, a former minister for economic security and for internal affairs and communications, is a long-time conservative voice in the party. She has opposed legislation allowing married women to keep their maiden names and has spoken against same-sex marriage. During her campaign, however, she proposed partially tax-deductible babysitter fees and corporate tax breaks for companies providing in-house childcare, reflecting her evolving policy priorities.
“I have personally experienced nursing and caregiving three times in my life. That’s why my determination has only grown stronger to reduce the number of people forced to leave their jobs due to caregiving, child-rearing or children refusing to attend school. I want to create a society where people don’t have to give up their careers,” she said.
Born in Nara Prefecture in 1961, Takaichi grew up outside the political sphere; her father worked in an office and her mother was a police officer. Before politics, she worked briefly as a television host and was once a drummer in a heavy metal band. Her political interest began in the 1980s while observing American perceptions of Japan during a period of US-Japan trade friction.
“Unless Japan can defend itself, its fate will always be at the mercy of shallow US opinion,” she said at the time.
Takaichi first ran for parliament in 1992 as an independent but lost, joining the LDP in 1996. Since then, she has been elected as an MP ten times, losing only once. She has held senior government positions, including minister for trade and industry and a record-breaking tenure as minister for internal affairs and communications.
Takaichi’s rise also comes at a critical moment for the LDP. The party, in power since 1955, has lost its majority in both houses of parliament and faces competition from the far-right Sanseito party, which has gained ground with its “Japan First” platform.
“We have received particularly harsh criticism from our core supporters, conservatives, and party members,” Takaichi said after securing the first round of votes.
Her immediate priorities include uniting the party, regaining public trust, and addressing voter concerns over immigration and mass tourism.
“We must all pull together across all generations and work as one to rebuild the LDP. Everyone will have to work like a horse,” she said.
Parliament is expected to confirm Takaichi as prime minister on October 15. If approved, she will make history as Japan’s first female prime minister while leading her party through political fragility, economic uncertainty and the rising influence of right-wing politics.
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