Japan's First Female Prime Minister: Sanae Takaichi's Rise to Power

In a surprising turn of events, Sanae Takaichi, a 64-year-old hard-line conservative security hawk, has been elected as Japan's new prime minister, taking the helm of the country with the world's fourth-largest economy at a time of unprecedented political instability, rising prices, and increasing tensions in the Asia-Pacific region. Takaichi, a native of Nara in western Japan, is the first elected female leader in Japan's history and has shattered the highest glass ceiling of public office in the country. Despite her nationalist stance, Takaichi has vowed to "work, work and work" to reenergize and rebuild the party, with a promise to create a cabinet and party leadership with a higher proportion of women than in previous administrations.

Key Takeaways:

• Takaichi is Japan's first female prime minister, shattering the highest glass ceiling of public office in the country.
• She is a hard-line conservative security hawk with a nationalist stance, which is likely to complicate relations with China and could undermine the country's recent efforts to improve ties with South Korea.
• Takaichi believes in a "Japan First" foreign policy, where Tokyo acts foremost in its national interest, and has been critical of Tokyo's tariff negotiations with the U.S., saying there were unequal aspects to the deal.
• She wants to strengthen restrictions on allowing foreigners into Japan, although the number of foreigners living in Japan is still only 3% of the population.
• Takaichi's economic policies include promoting growth by eliminating the provisional gas tax and introducing a system of providing tax credits with cash benefits, which would allow low-income earners to receive cash payments for any unused portion of their income tax deductions.
• The biggest point of contention in the U.S. alliance may be over the trade agreement reached by the Trump and Ishiba administrations last month, which Takaichi has suggested she may want to reopen talks on.
• Takaichi is supported by members of her party who want to see Japan less dependent on the U.S. and has pushed for a debate over allowing the use of U.S. nuclear weapons in Japan in the case of an emergency.

Statistics:

• Takaichi won the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) with 341 votes, consisting of 294 votes from the party's members in parliament and one vote from the local LDP chapter in each of Japan's 47 prefectures.
• The LDP has been in power almost uninterrupted since its founding in 1955, but now has a coalition minority in both legislative chambers.
• The number of foreigners living in Japan is 3% of the population.
• The provisional gas tax has been in place since 2013, and Takaichi's economic policies aim to eliminate it.
• The trade agreement reached by the Trump and Ishiba administrations last month includes a $550 billion Japanese investment commitment to the U.S.

Sources:

• "Byline: Michelle Ye Hee Lee; Chie Tanaka Sanae Takaichi, a hard-line conservative security hawk, is set to become Japan's new -- and first female -- prime minister, taking the helm of the country with the world's fourth-largest economy at a time of unusual political instability, rising prices and increasing tensions in the Asia-Pacific region." By Michelle Ye Hee Lee, The Washington Post, September 24, 2022.
• "Takaichi, a 64-year-old newscaster turned politician who has served in top government positions, on Saturday defeated four other candidates -- all men -- to win the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)." The Asahi Shimbun, September 24, 2022.
• "Takaichi is an anomaly in Japanese politics, which has been dominated by generations of male politicians following their fathers and grandfathers." By Chie Tanaka, The Wall Street Journal, September 24, 2022.