A step has been taken towards a historic change in Japanese politics. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has chosen Sanae Takaichi as its new leader. With this, Takaichi has become the frontrunner in the race to become Japan's first female prime minister.
Tokyo: Japan is set to get its first female prime minister. Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has elected Sanae Takaichi as its new leader. If Takaichi becomes prime minister, she will face several major challenges, including Japan's aging population, a shortage of skilled labor, and growing discontent over increasing immigration.
According to reports, Sanae Takaichi has been elected to lead the LDP. She defeated Shinjiro Koizumi, son of former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, in a run-off vote held on Saturday. No candidate had secured a majority in the first round. Had the 44-year-old Koizumi won, he would have become the youngest prime minister in Japan's history. However, Takaichi's victory has opened a new chapter for female leadership.
LDP's Historic Dominance
This is a challenging time for the LDP, which has continuously been in power in Japan since 1955. Takaichi will have to ensure that the party can re-unite voters. In Japan, the recently emerging Sanseito Party has caused discontent among voters by accusing immigrants of a "silent invasion." Takaichi and Koizumi attempted to attract voters in this campaign who were influenced by negative messages towards foreigners and tourists.
Sanae Takaichi's Statement After Becoming Leader
After being elected leader, Sanae Takaichi stated that Japan should reconsider policies that allow people from entirely different cultures and backgrounds to enter the country. Shinjiro Koizumi, meanwhile, commented that illegal employment of foreigners and public safety concerns are causing anxiety among local residents. This type of concern is relatively rare for mainstream politicians in Japan, as the country's foreign-born population is only about 3%.
The challenges for Sanae Takaichi are not easy. Economic Policies: She has supported the policies of her mentor and former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which include revolutionary monetary easing and large-scale fiscal spending.
- Foreign Policy: Despite being a regular visitor to the Yasukuni War Shrine, she has adopted a moderate stance towards China.
- Social Issues: Japan's aging population, increasing immigration, and domestic discontent remain serious challenges for her.
Under Takaichi's leadership, associated with the LDP's right-wing faction, the joy of female leadership in Japan could soon turn into serious challenges.
Who is Takaichi?
Sanae Takaichi is a former Minister of Economic Security. The 64-year-old Takaichi is considered close to the LDP's right-wing faction. Based on her position as LDP leader and parliamentary majority, she could potentially succeed Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. However, according to recent election results, the LDP-led coalition has not secured an absolute majority in both houses. Therefore, for effective governance, she will have to rely on the cooperation of opposition MPs.
In Saturday's vote, Sanae Takaichi received the support of only 295 LDP lawmakers and approximately one million party members, representing just 1% of the Japanese public.
