Sanae Takaichi has been elected as the new prime minister of Japan, making her the country’s first female prime minister.
The 64-year-old’s victory comes after a deal between her party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and the right-wing Japan Innovation Party (Ishin no Kai) secured enough support in the Lower House to push through her nomination. She replaces Shigeru Ishiba, whose party suffered significant electoral losses and relinquished the leadership earlier this autumn.
The moment carries strong symbolic value, as Japan had hitherto been the only member of the G7 without a woman at the helm of government.
Takaichi, a longtime conservative and protégé of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, is expected to emphasize strong defense, constitutional revision (to formally recognise the role of Japan’s Self-Defence Forces), tighter immigration controls, and large fiscal stimulus, including tax cuts and increased spending.
In her remarks following the vote, Takaichi acknowledged the magnitude of the task ahead: “The real challenge starts now,” she said, pointing to the mountain of work in turning “people’s anxieties into hope.”
Born on March 7, 1961, in Yamatokōriyama, Nara Prefecture, Japan, Sanae Takaichi cites Britain’s former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as an influence, calling her a source of inspiration.
She has been a member of the House of Representatives since 1993. Known for ultraconservative views: supports constitutional revision to empower Japan’s military, strict immigration policy, and a nationalist outlook, including visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine. She was chosen earlier in October 2025 as the leader of the LDP, positioning her to become prime minister.
She has opposed changing the male‐only imperial succession and has expressed opposition to same‐sex marriage and separate surnames for spouses.
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