By Ruth Johnson
Who is Japan’s new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi?
Japan’s recently elected Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, is the country’s first female Prime Minister and the first female president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
She represents what many see as a seismic shift towards a more right-wing political ideology. As a conservative leader, her focus is on maintaining tradition and family values, while also strengthening Japan’s security through a significant increase in defence spending, a move that contrasts with the country’s longstanding pacifist stance following the Second World War.
Her policies are more stringent regarding immigration and foreign nationals. She is opposed to same-sex marriage and believes that women should take their husband’s surname to preserve the traditional nuclear family unit. Additionally, she opposes allowing women in the imperial line of succession in Japan.
She supports closer alignment with Japan’s key allies, including Britain, the United States and Australia, particularly in matters of defence and trade, and has advocated for the establishment of a national intelligence agency.
However, due to the timing of Takaichi’s election and the controversial departure of her predecessor, she initially faced a fraught political landscape, with the Japanese parliament deeply fragmented. Following a series of scandals, most notably the mishandling of campaign funds, the LDP failed to secure a majority of seats and recorded its worst electoral performance in a decade.
Governing as a minority administration made it extremely difficult to operate effectively, which prompted her decision to call a snap election soon after taking office.
Of the 465 seats in the Lower House, the LDP won 316. With its coalition partners, it now controls 352 seats, giving it a supermajority, which is the largest number of seats the party has ever secured.
This majority grants Takaichi the authority to reshape policy, pass legislation and override opposition challenges with relative ease. In response to her victory, Japanese stocks have surged, as investors anticipate a new era of stability and decisive leadership.