Tokyo: Sanae Takaichi won a historic vote on Tuesday to be declared the first woman prime minister of Japan. This was the 64-year-old’s third attempt at leading the country. She also becomes Japan’s fourth prime minister in the last five years.
Considered an ultraconservative, Takaichi will replace prime minister Shigeru Ishiba, ending a three-month political vacuum and wrangling since the disastrous loss for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in July this year.
Ishiba lasted only one year in office, and resigned with his cabinet on Tuesday. earlier on Tuesday, paving the way for his successor.
The LDP’s alliance with the far right Osaka-based Japan Innovation Party (JIP) on Monday ensured Takaichi’s victory.
She has her work cut out for her though. Takaichi’s alliance is still short of a majority in both houses of parliament and they need to take along other opposition groups to pass any legislation. This could make her government unstable and short-lived.
“Political stability is essential right now,” Takaichi said at Monday while signing the pact with JIP leader and Osaka governor Hirofumi Yoshimura. “Without stability, we cannot push measures for a strong economy or diplomacy,” she added.
While working on the economy, Takaichi will also have to mend ties with long-term ally America. At the moment, US-Japan ties are at an all-time low.
She is set to hold talks with US president Donald Trump soon and organise regional summits. She will have to tackle rising prices and compile economy-boosting measures by late December to address public frustration.
Despite being a woman, Takaichi is among Japanese politicians who have stonewalled measures for women’s advancement in the country. She supports the imperial family’s male-only succession and opposes same-sex marriage and allowing separate surnames for married couples.
A protege of assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi is expected to emulate his policies including stronger military and economy, as well as revising Japan’s pacifist constitution. With a potentially weak grip on power, it’s unknown how much she would be able to achieve.