Conservative Sanae Takaichi is Japan’s first female prime minister after the 64-year-old triumphed Tuesday in an historic vote to clear the way for her ascendancy.
Takaichi is also the first woman to lead the dominant Liberal Democratic Party that has forged Japan’s postwar politics.
She won 237 votes from MPs in the 465-seat lower house following a breakthrough coalition deal by her party 24 hours earlier.
The former TV presenter and professed deep admirer of Margaret Thatcher leads a new ruling coalition is expected to discuss an increase in defense spending, potential tax cuts and consider a push to restart Japan’s suspended nuclear power plants, the Financial Times reports.
She also stands with the imperial family’s male-only succession and opposes same-sex marriage and allowing separate surnames for married couples.
Sanae Takaichi, president of the Liberal Democratic Party, left, attends an extraordinary session at the lower house of parliament in Tokyo, Japan, on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2025. Takaichi won the parliamentary vote to become Japan’s prime minister, making her the first woman to clinch the nation’s top leadership job. (Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Earlier this month, the BBC reports President Donald Trump congratulated Takaichi upon her winning the leadership race of her party, the LDP, calling her win “tremendous news.”
He described her as a “highly respected person of great wisdom and strength.”
In response, Takaichi posted she was “very pleased” with the U.S. leader’s message, saying she was “hoping to work together [with him] to make our alliance even stronger and more prosperous”.
Takaichi has so far positioned herself as a reliable partner to the U.S. – saying earlier this month that she planned to honour an investment deal with Trump, despite earlier signals – a sign that she plans to maintain stability in bilaterial ties.
As Breitbart News reported, Takaichi has several eventful weeks ahead of her.
Trump is due to visit Japan before the end of the month, and the next Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit is scheduled for October 31.
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