Sanae Takaichi Likely To Become Japan's First Female Prime Minister

Sanae Takaichi, a member of Japan’s governing Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), is set to become the country's first female prime minister, thereby engraving her name in the book of history. The 64-year-old is marking her name as another "Iron Lady", a title she has earned as one of the best-known figures in Japanese politics.

Takaichi is the former Economic Security Minister. She won the LDP leadership race after the former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stepped down. Ishiba resigned following two consecutive election losses for the LDP.

Takaichi is a strong admirer of Britain’s first female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. At the same time, she holds several conservative views. She has, for instance, opposed legislation allowing women to retain their maiden names after marriage, arguing that it is against tradition. She is also a regular visitor to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, where Japan’s war dead, including some convicted war criminals, are memorialised.

If confirmed as Prime Minister, one of Takaichi’s key challenges will be uniting the party after a turbulent few years, which have been rocked by scandals and internal conflicts.