Who is Sanae Takaichi – Japan’s first woman Prime Minister?
Sanae Takaichi, 64, will become Japan’s first woman prime minister, leading a minority coalition after winning LDP leadership. A social conservative and China hawk, she vows a gender-diverse cabinet, economic reforms, and tackling population decline, while needing cross-party support to pass legislation.
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Japan is set to make history with the appointment of its first woman prime minister, social conservative and China hawk Sanae Takaichi, who clinched a last-minute deal on Monday to form a new coalition government.
Takaichi, 64, will replace Shigeru Ishiba as Japan’s fifth prime minister in as many years, leading a minority government amid a turbulent political landscape.
The veteran politician rose to the top of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on 4 October, winning its leadership despite the party’s declining popularity. Just days later, the Komeito party, uneasy over Takaichi’s conservative stances and an LDP slush fund scandal, withdrew from the coalition. Undeterred, Takaichi struck a new alliance with the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) on Monday evening.
The coalition’s combined 231 seats fall two short of a majority in the lower house, but analysts say it is sufficient for her to secure the prime ministership.
Takaichi’s rise is being hailed as a landmark moment in a country where politics and business remain heavily male-dominated. According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap Report, Japan ranks 118th out of 148 countries, with women accounting for only about 15% of lower house MPs.
In a bold move, Takaichi has pledged a cabinet with “Nordic” levels of female representation, a significant increase from the mere two women in outgoing PM Ishiba’s cabinet. Former minister Satsuki Katayama, known for her expertise in finance and economics, is expected to become Japan’s first woman finance minister under Takaichi’s leadership.
Takaichi has signaled her priorities, promising to strengthen Japan’s economy and “reshape Japan as a country that can be responsible for future generations.” Among her pressing tasks are reversing Japan’s population decline and stimulating the world’s fourth-largest economy. She is also scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump next week.
With a minority coalition in both houses of parliament, Takaichi will need support from other parties to pass key legislation, setting the stage for a challenging but historic tenure as Japan’s first female prime minister.
