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Sanae Takaichi has been elected to lead Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party. If confirmed by parliament, she will become the country’s first female prime minister
Sanae Takaichi, the newly elected leader of Japan’s ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), holds a press conference after the LDP presidential election in Tokyo, Japan, October 4, 2025. Yuichi Yamazaki/Pool via REUTERS
Sanae Takaichi has been elected president of Japan’s long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), defeating Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in a runoff vote held on Saturday. The 64-year-old former economic security minister now stands poised to become the country’s first woman prime minister, pending a formal vote in parliament.
The LDP remains the largest party in Japan’s lower house, which selects the prime minister, making Takaichi’s confirmation highly likely. However, the party has suffered significant electoral setbacks over the past year, losing its majority in both houses of the Diet under outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. Voter support has been shaken by rising inflation, a political funds scandal, and dissatisfaction with the party’s handling of the economy.
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Saturday’s election was an internal party contest decided by 295 LDP lawmakers and around one million dues-paying members, representing only a small portion of the Japanese electorate. Five candidates competed, including two current ministers and three former cabinet members. Takaichi ultimately emerged on top, securing her place as the LDP’s new leader.
If confirmed, she will become Japan’s fifth prime minister in five years and the first woman to hold the office.
After her victory, she told fellow party members: “Rather than being happy, I feel like the tough work starts here.”
Political Career And Ministerial Roles
Takaichi began her political career in 1993 when she was elected to Japan’s lower house of parliament as an independent from her hometown of Nara. She joined the LDP in 1996 and has since remained a prominent figure within its conservative wing.
Over the years, she has held several ministerial portfolios, including Internal Affairs and Communications, Economic Security, and Gender Equality. Despite holding positions linked to women’s empowerment, her policy outlook has reflected the traditionalist stance of the party’s senior leadership.
In 2023, she lost the LDP leadership contest to Shigeru Ishiba. Two years later, she returned to the race and won, campaigning on economic recovery, stricter immigration control, and national security. Her platform included calls for increased fiscal stimulus, research into nuclear fusion, and enhanced defence and cybersecurity capabilities. Her comeback coincided with growing frustration in the party over electoral losses and falling approval ratings under Ishiba.
Public Profile And Personal Background
Born in Nara to a police officer mother and an automotive industry worker father, Takaichi graduated with a business management degree from Kobe University. She later worked as a congressional fellow in the United States Congress.
Outside politics, Takaichi is known for her unusual interests in a country where politicians often project buttoned-up images. She rode motorbikes as a student, played drums in a heavy metal band, and frequently cites former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as her political inspiration.
Takaichi’s Economic Views
Takaichi has consistently advocated for expansionary fiscal policy, calling for increased government spending and tax relief measures to address the rising cost of living. During her campaign for the LDP presidency, she criticised the Bank of Japan’s interest rate hikes, arguing that tightening monetary policy could hamper economic recovery.
Takaichi has aligned herself with the economic legacy of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whom she has publicly described as a mentor. She supports a return to policies commonly referred to as “Abenomics,” which combine monetary easing, fiscal stimulus, and structural reform. As part of this stance, she has proposed tax cuts and additional public investment to spur domestic demand and cushion inflationary pressures.
On trade, she has raised concerns about a US-Japan investment deal reached under the Trump administration that reduced tariffs on Japanese goods. She has said she would push for renegotiation if the agreement is seen as unfair to Japan.
Takaichi’s Stance On Gender And Social Issues
Takaichi is the first woman to lead the LDP, a party that has been dominated by male leadership since its formation. Although her election is seen as a milestone, her policy positions on gender-related issues align closely with the conservative mainstream of the party.
She opposes legal recognition of same-sex marriage and changes to Japan’s 19th-century civil law that would allow married couples to retain separate surnames. While the surname issue has broad public support for reform, it remains a point of resistance within conservative circles in the LDP.
Takaichi supports the party’s longstanding emphasis on traditional family structures and has echoed positions that emphasise women’s roles as wives and mothers. According to AP, female lawmakers in the LDP have historically faced backlash when advocating for diversity and gender equality. Takaichi has not publicly supported efforts to alter the party’s core positions in this area.
During her leadership campaign, she pledged to improve gender representation in government by increasing the number of female ministers in her cabinet. She stated that she aimed to raise women’s participation in leadership to “Nordic” levels, referring to countries such as Iceland, Finland, and Norway, which consistently rank high in gender equality.
Japan ranked 118th out of 148 countries in the 2025 World Economic Forum Gender Gap Report, due largely to the underrepresentation of women in government. Women currently hold only about 15 per cent of seats in the lower house of Japan’s Diet, and only two of the country’s 47 prefectural governors are women.
Takaichi has also spoken publicly about her experience with menopausal symptoms, saying that men needed better education about women’s health to support women at work and in schools.
What’s Next For Takaichi
Takaichi’s confirmation as prime minister will be decided by a parliamentary vote later this month. Once in office, she will need to stabilise a party weakened by scandal and election losses while working with coalition partner Komeito to pass legislation.
Abroad, her first major test is expected at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea in late October, where a planned meeting with US President Donald Trump could bring tough discussions on defence spending and trade.
About the Author
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar…Read More
Karishma Jain, Chief Sub Editor at News18.com, writes and edits opinion pieces on a variety of subjects, including Indian politics and policy, culture and the arts, technology and social change. Follow her @kar… Read More
October 04, 2025, 16:02 IST
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