The Japanese parliament on Tuesday elected ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first female prime minister. Takaichi, 64, leader of the struggling Liberal Democratic Party, succeeds Shigeru Ishiba, who resigned following two major election defeats. Takaichi will replace Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, ending a three-month political vacuum following the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) disastrous election loss in July. Ishiba, who was in office for just one year, resigned along with his Cabinet on Tuesday, paving the way for his successor.
Japan's political instability
The LDP's impromptu alliance with the Osaka-based right wing Japan Innovation Party (JIP), or Ishin no Kai, ensures Takaichi’s victory in a parliamentary vote later in the day, as the opposition remains divided. However, the alliance is still short of a majority in both houses, forcing Takaichi to court other opposition groups to pass legislation, posing a risk of an unstable and short-lived government.
“Political stability is essential right now,” Takaichi said at Monday’s signing ceremony with the JIP leader and Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura. “Without stability, we cannot push measures for a strong economy or diplomacy.” The coalition agreement highlighted Takaichi’s hawkish and nationalistic policy stance.
The last-minute deal with JIP comes just 10 days after the LDP lost its longtime partner, the Buddhist-backed Komeito, which has a more dovish and centrist stance. The breakup had threatened the LDP’s long-standing control over Japanese politics.
Challenges ahead
Takaichi, 64,presents a Cabinet including several allies of the LDP’s influential kingmaker, Taro Aso, and others who supported her in the party leadership vote. JIP will initially hold no ministerial positions until it is confident about the alliance with the LDP, according to Yoshimura. Takaichi faces immediate pressure, with a major policy speech scheduled later this week, talks with US President Donald Trump, and regional summits. She must quickly address rising prices and present economic measures by late December to meet public expectations.
Although she will become Japan’s first female prime minister, Takaichi is not prioritising gender equality or diversity. She has consistently opposed measures for women’s advancement, supports male-only succession in the imperial family, and is against same-sex marriage and allowing separate surnames for married couples.
Protege of Shinzo Abe
A protege of the assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi is expected to follow his policies, including strengthening the military, boosting the economy, and revising Japan’s pacifist constitution. With a potentially fragile grip on power, it remains unclear how much she will be able to achieve.
