Japanese Thatcher: a woman became Prime Minister of Japan for the first time

The Japanese parliament has elected Sanae Takaichi, leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, as Prime Minister. She became the first woman in this position and has already begun to form a government. The new cabinet will be announced on Tuesday and will take office after the official confirmation ceremony by Emperor Naruhito. Earlier, Takaichi promised that after coming to power, she would appoint a large number of women legislators. For more information, see the Izvestia article.

How Sanae Takaichi was elected Prime Minister

Sanae Takaichi, the 64-year-old chairman of the country's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has been elected Prime Minister of Japan. She became the first woman to hold this post and the 104th head of the Japanese government. This is reported by the local Kyodo news agency.

Takaichi scored 237 votes out of 465, with a minimum threshold of 233. Her main rival, the leader of the Constitutional Democratic Party, Yoshihiko Noda, received 149 votes.

Sanae Takaichi won thanks to the LDP's alliance with the conservative Japan Renewal Society Party, The Japan Times writes. This provided her with the necessary support.

On Tuesday, October 21, the elected Prime Minister began forming a government. During the election of the LDP chairman, Takaichi hinted that she would appoint a large number of female lawmakers if she came to power, The Japan Times notes.

The new cabinet will be announced on Tuesday and will take office after the official confirmation ceremony by Emperor Naruhito.

How Takaichi became the leader of the ruling party

Takaichi has already become the fourth prime Minister of the country in the last five years. Her predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba, lasted less than a year in office. Under his leadership, the LDP, which has ruled the country for 70 years, lost its majority in the elections to the lower house of parliament, and later to the upper house. On September 7, Shigeru Ishiba announced plans to resign.

In early October, Sanae Takaichi became chairman of the LDP, gaining 185 votes, while her rival Shinjiro Koizumi received 156.

"Instead of being happy right now, I feel like serious challenges are waiting for me. I am convinced that we have mountains of work ahead of us that we must overcome together. All generations must unite and work as one to restore the LDP. Everyone will have to plow like a horse," the woman said after being elected to the post of party leader.

What is known about Sanae Takaichi

Takaichi was born in the city of Nara (population about 360 thousand people). The girl grew up in a simple family, her father worked in a car company, and her mother worked in the police.

She graduated from the Faculty of Economics at Kobe University and the Matsushita Institute of Public Administration and Management. When she was a student, she liked rock music. She was even a biker. In 1987, Takaichi interned in the United States in the office of Congresswoman Patricia Schroeder, who represented the Democratic Party. In the 90s, Takaichi returned to Japan and became a legal analyst. In 1993, a woman as an independent candidate won the election to the House of Representatives. In 1996, she joined the LDP.

In 2006, Takaichi became Minister of Science and Technology Policy, Innovation, Youth and Gender Equality, Food Safety, and Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs. In 2012, she became head of the party's political research council, and in 2014 she became Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, finding herself at the center of scandals over a photo with neo‑Nazi Kazunari Yamada. In 2021, Takaichi ran for the post of LDP leader. She stated that her goal was to become an "iron lady." Then the woman lost, but took the post of Minister of Economic Security in the government, overseeing the cultural strategy of Cool Japan, intellectual property issues, scientific, technical and space policy.

The politician was part of the inner circle of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who called her a conservative star. Her political program includes the slogans of "strengthening Japan," "returning the country to the top," and "overcoming stagnation."

Takaichi holds conservative views. While serving as Minister of Economic Security, she was the only cabinet minister to visit Yasukuni Shrine, which is associated with Japanese militarism. However, after being elected head of the LDP in October, Takaichi limited herself to sending a personal donation to the temple.

According to the woman, her role model is Margaret Thatcher.