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Takaichi Sanae

Takaichi Sanae was elected leader of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party. She defeated four other candidates to succeed Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru making her the first woman to ever lead the party. A former television anchor, she made the leap into Japanese politics in 1993, winning her Lower House seat as an independent. She represents her home prefecture of Nara. Her ascension to the premiership signaled a shift toward more assertive nationalism in Japanese foreign policy and a more strained relationship with South Korea and China.

Hardline conservative Sanae Takaichi was set 20 October 2025 to become Japan’s first female prime minister after her ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) struck a deal with its new coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party (JIP). The LDP's new coalition with JIP was two seats shy of the lower house majority needed for Takaichi to be appointed. But Takaichi is still likely to win in a second-round run-off vote since she only needs more support than the other candidate. The announcement of a new coalition pushed the Nikkei 225 index up more than three percent to a new record above 49,000 points. Being in a minority in both houses of parliament, the new coalition will need support from other parties to push through legislation.

Japan's political elites scrambled for new allies following the collapse of the ruling coalition that left even the prime ministerial post up for grabs. Nationalist Sanae Takaichi was elected head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and appeared to be on course to become the nation's first female leader. Takaichi's ambitions took a significant blow on 10 October 2025, however, when the 26-year alliance between the LDP and the Buddhist-backed party Komeito broke down. The partnership has long been strained, with Komeito opposing a more aggressive security policy pushed by the LDP, but Takaichi taking over as LDP head appears to have been the last straw for the smaller party.

"Komeito was already worried about Takaichi's hawkish stance on security, on relations with South Korea and China, and their fear was that she would go even further as soon as she was in office," said Hiromi Murakami, a professor of political science at the Tokyo campus of Temple University. A particularly sensitive issue both inside Japan and with its neighboring nations is Takaichi's stance on the controversial Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.

The shrine has been the last resting place of Japan's war dead since 1869. The war dead, however, include many of the nation's notorious war criminals. Arch-conservative Takaichi has visited the Tokyo site in the past, even during her multiple tenures as Cabinet minister.Any visits to the shrine by Japanese leaders prompt outrage in China, as well as both North and South Korea, as those countries see the gesture as an attempt to whitewash Japan's wartime atrocities. Takaichi refused to give a clear answer when pressed over the shrine following her confirmation as the LDP leader on October 4. She did not rule out new visits and insisted that the shrine is "not a diplomatic issue," while also saying proper ways of honoring the war dead "should be judged at the appropriate time."

Komeito leaders appear to have also been dismayed by Takaichi naming disgraced LDP ex-minister Koichi Hagiuda to a senior position within the LDP. Less than two years ago, Hagiuda was forced to resign from the party's Policy Research Council over a major financial scandal. Hagiuda's return "has really annoyed Komeito and it makes it appear that Takaichi simply does not care about an issue that enraged the electorate and was arguably the main reason they have fared so badly in recent elections," said professor Murakami. The decision-makers inside Komeito now seem to believe that staying in the coalition with the LDP would harm their own political reputation.

Takaichi was always set to lead a minority government — even with the support of Komeito, which has 24 seats in the lower house of parliament. Their pullout now leaves LDP with 197 seats in the House of Representatives, short of the 233 required for a majority, and 101 seats in the House of Councillors, also well below the 125-seat threshold required for a majority. The nationalist leader hoped to secure new political allies. At the same time, opposition parties aim to take full advantage of the LDP's political weakness.

"Takaichi and the LDP are both in deep trouble," surmises Toshimitsu Shigemura, a professor of politics and international relations at Tokyo's Waseda University. Shigemura pointed out that Takaichi's rival Shinjiro Koizumi would almost certainly be able to convince Komeito to stay in the coalition. The moderate Koizumi, however, lost the internal vote against the nationalist Takaichi, who was backed by powerful LDP kingmaker and former Prime Minister Taro Aso. "The party only elected her days ago and so they cannot realistically replace her, even though it seems clear they would have been far better off electing Shinjiro Koizumi," he said.

Early Life and Educational Background

Born on March 7, 1961, in Nara Prefecture in central Japan, Sanae Takaichi comes from a background that differs from many prominent Japanese politicians who typically hail from established political families. Her mother served in the local police department, while her father worked for an automotive parts manufacturer. During her youth, Takaichi pursued diverse interests including playing drums in a heavy metal band, demonstrating particular affinity for heavy metal music. She also developed interests in motorcycles, cars, and scuba diving, activities that reflected an energetic and varied personality.

In 1984, Takaichi graduated from Kobe University with a bachelor's degree in business administration. She subsequently entered the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management (MIGM), founded in 1979 by Panasonic founder Konosuke Matsushita. The institute focuses on developing political leaders with emphasis on national interests, economic efficiency, and national pride. The MIGM curriculum emphasizes traditional Japanese culture and national self-reliance, while expressing criticism of what it characterizes as a "postwar masochistic view of history." The institute has produced several notable conservative politicians in Japan, and Senator Katsuhiko Eguchi, one of the institute's founders, acknowledged that graduates tend to share ideological alignment with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), reflecting Matsushita's own conservative liberal orientation.

This international experience shaped her worldview and provided insights into Western political systems. In December 1987, Takaichi served as a U.S. Congressional Fellow, further expanding her understanding of democratic governance structures. Between October 1989 and November 1990, she worked as a teacher at Nihon Junior College of Economics before transitioning to television broadcasting. She became a host at TV Asahi in March 1989 and later at Fuji TV in November 1990. This media experience contributed to her public communication skills and name recognition, which would prove valuable in her subsequent political career.

Entry into Politics and Early Career Development

Takaichi formally entered politics in July 1993 when she was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time, winning her seat as an independent candidate representing Nara's 2nd district. Her political trajectory involved several party affiliations during the turbulent reorganization of Japanese politics in the 1990s. After her initial election, she joined the Liberals party in 1994, which subsequently merged into the New Frontier Party. Following the New Frontier Party's electoral setbacks and eventual dissolution, she joined the LDP in 1996, a transition that reportedly drew criticism from her former party colleagues but positioned her within Japan's dominant political organization.

Early in her political career, Takaichi's positions reflected conservative nationalist views. During the 1990s, she questioned then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama about his official apology for Japan's wartime actions, expressing concern about such statements being made without broader authorization. Japanese media reports indicate that as a junior lawmaker, she endorsed a book examining Hitler's electoral campaign tactics and was photographed meeting with a Holocaust denier, incidents that generated controversy and established early patterns in her political positioning.

Takaichi rapidly advanced through various positions in the LDP. In July 1998, she was appointed Parliamentary Vice Minister for International Trade and Industry in the Obuchi Cabinet. In January 2001, she became Chair of the Committee on Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in the House of Representatives. In October 2002, she was elevated to Senior Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry in the first reshuffled Koizumi Cabinet. From April 2004, she served as Professor in the Faculty of Economics at Kinki University while continuing her political activities.

Cabinet Service and Political Advancement

Takaichi's political career accelerated significantly when she joined Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's cabinet in September 2006. In the first Abe Cabinet, she held multiple portfolios simultaneously, serving as Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy, Minister of State for Innovation, Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs, Minister of State for Gender Equality, and Minister of State for Social Affairs and Food Safety. This marked the beginning of her close association with Abe, who would serve as her political mentor and whose policy priorities she would champion throughout her career. In August 2008, she served as State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry.

Following the LDP's return to power in December 2012, Takaichi assumed leadership of the party's Policy Research Council, one of the most influential positions within the party structure. When Abe formed his second cabinet in September 2014, Takaichi was appointed Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, a position she would hold through multiple cabinet reshuffles, making her the first woman to hold this role and eventually becoming the longest-serving minister in that capacity. She maintained this position through December 2014, October 2015, and August 2016, also serving concurrently as Minister of State for the Social Security and Tax Number System.

During her tenure as Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, which extended through the third and fourth Abe cabinets until September 2019, Takaichi oversaw telecommunications, broadcasting, and local government affairs, demonstrating technical competence in complex policy areas. She pushed for stronger government oversight of broadcasting content and suggested that broadcasters should lose their licenses if they fail to maintain political neutrality, a position that press freedom advocates criticized as potentially threatening media independence. Simultaneously, she worked to promote Japan's digital transformation and competitiveness in emerging technologies.

In October 2018, she served as Chair of the Committee on Rules and Administration in the House of Representatives. In November 2017, she became Chairperson of the Headquarters for Cybersecurity Measures for the LDP. In October 2021, following Yoshihide Suga's resignation, she again became Chairperson of the Policy Research Council, positioning herself as a key player in party policy formulation.

In the Kishida administrations beginning in August 2022, Takaichi held multiple ministerial positions related to economic security and emerging technologies. She served as Minister in charge of Economic Security, Minister of State for Intellectual Property Strategy, Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy, Minister of State for Space Policy, and Minister of State for Economic Security through September 2023. These positions reflected growing recognition of her expertise in strategic economic policy and national security matters.

Historical Issues and International Controversy

Throughout her political career, Takaichi has maintained positions on historical interpretation that have generated diplomatic tensions with neighboring countries. She maintains associations with Nippon Kaigi (Japan Conference), serving as vice chair of a Diet members' caucus for the organization. Nippon Kaigi is a conservative organization that advocates for constitutional revision, particularly regarding Article 9, which prohibits the use of force to settle international disputes, and promotes alternative interpretations of Japan's wartime history.

A particularly sensitive issue both domestically and internationally has been Takaichi's stance on Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo. The shrine has served as a memorial for Japan's war dead since 1869, but those commemorated include individuals convicted of war crimes following World War II. In August 2007, Takaichi was the only member of the Abe cabinet who, alongside former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, visited Yasukuni Shrine on the anniversary of the end of World War II. She has made multiple subsequent visits to the shrine as a cabinet member, actions that consistently generate diplomatic protests from China, South Korea, and North Korea, which view such visits as failing to adequately acknowledge Japan's wartime aggression.

In 2014, as Japan's internal affairs minister, Takaichi faced controversy when photographs emerged of her with Kazunari Yamada, leader of the National Socialist Japanese Workers Party, a fringe group whose insignia incorporates swastika imagery. The incident generated domestic and international criticism. In January 2013, she advocated for Japan to reconsider past official apologies for wartime actions, expand its regional presence, and establish regular visits to Yasukuni Shrine by Japanese leaders. She also characterized China's military development as a security concern requiring Japanese response.

Policy Positions and Ideological Framework

Takaichi's political ideology places her firmly within the conservative nationalist wing of the LDP. She is a vocal advocate for constitutional revision, particularly the amendment or elimination of Article 9, which renounces war and prohibits Japan from maintaining military forces for aggressive purposes. She supports strengthening Japan's defense capabilities and takes an assertive stance on national security issues. Her views align closely with those of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, whose legacy she continues to champion, and she leads the Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyukai faction, formerly associated with Abe.

On economic policy, Takaichi advocates for what she terms "Sanaenomics," her version of economic nationalism that combines elements of expansionary fiscal policy with measures aimed at strengthening domestic industries. She supports aggressive monetary easing and government spending to stimulate growth, backing Abe's "Abenomics" policies while criticizing the Bank of Japan's interest rate increases. Her economic vision emphasizes economic security and reducing dependence on foreign supply chains for critical industries, representing a more interventionist approach than traditional free-market conservatism.

Regarding regional security, Takaichi has been a vocal critic of China's military development in the Asia-Pacific region. She has suggested the possibility of a "quasi-security alliance" with Taiwan, the self-ruled island claimed by Beijing, a position that represents a significant departure from Japan's traditional approach to cross-strait relations. She emphasizes the importance of the Japan-U.S. alliance and advocates for trilateral cooperation with Washington and other regional partners including South Korea, Australia, and the Philippines. She supports Japan taking a greater role in promoting what she characterizes as a Free and Open Indo-Pacific strategy.

In terms of gender and social policy, Takaichi's positions reflect traditional conservative values. Despite being a woman who has achieved considerable success in a male-dominated field, she has not been a strong advocate for progressive gender equality measures. She opposes allowing married couples to use separate surnames, a reform that many Japanese women's rights advocates have long sought, and she has expressed traditional views on family structure and gender roles. She has also taken restrictive positions on immigration policy and expressed concern about the impact of foreign tourism. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher serves as her stated political hero, reflecting her alignment with conservative economic and social policies.

Leadership Bids and Political Maneuvering

Takaichi made her first bid for LDP leadership in September 2021, following Yoshihide Suga's resignation. Running on a platform emphasizing economic security measures in response to China's regional activities, she publicly declared her intention to "strengthen economic security to counter an increasingly aggressive China." Though she finished third in the first round of voting, the campaign established her credibility as a serious leadership contender and demonstrated her significant support base within the party's conservative wing.

In preparation for subsequent leadership contests, she formed a cross-factional group composed primarily of mid-career and younger Diet members that transcended traditional factional boundaries. Among its members were fellow MIGM alumni Hiroshi Yamada and Hitoshi Kikawada. This organizational effort reflected her strategic approach to building political power beyond established faction lines. In April 2024, prior to announcing her candidacy for the LDP presidency, Takaichi made a high-profile visit to Taiwan and met with Lai Ching-te. At a press conference, she advocated for strengthening practical cooperation between Japan and Taiwan, generating significant media attention and reinforcing her profile on security issues.

Election as LDP Leader and Ascension to Prime Minister

The political landscape shifted dramatically in 2024 when Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation after the ruling coalition lost majorities in both houses of parliament. The LDP, historically dominant in postwar Japan but weakened by recent election losses compounded by financial scandals, faced a critical juncture. Takaichi entered the race for party leadership, positioning herself as a candidate who could restore the party's conservative credentials and appeal to voters who had defected to emerging far-right groups.

The LDP leadership election took place on October 4, 2025, with five candidates competing: Takaichi, former environment minister Shinjiro Koizumi, and three others including two currently serving ministers and three former ministers. Early polls identified Takaichi and Koizumi as the frontrunners, representing different wings of the party. No candidate secured a majority in the first round of voting, necessitating a runoff between Takaichi and Koizumi. In the decisive second round, Takaichi defeated Koizumi with 185 votes to his 156, having earned 149 lawmaker votes and 36 votes from prefectural chapters compared to Koizumi's 145 and 11 respectively.

Following her election as LDP leader, Takaichi declared, "Together with so many of you, we have carved a new era for the LDP." She acknowledged public criticism, stating, "Recently, I have heard harsh voices from across the country saying we don't know what the LDP stands for anymore. That sense of urgency drove me. I wanted to turn people's anxieties about their daily lives and the future into hope." The party's choice of Takaichi over the more centrist Koizumi reflected its strategic calculation that appealing to conservative voters was necessary to rebuild electoral strength.

However, Takaichi's election immediately triggered a political crisis. On October 10, 2025, merely six days after her selection as party leader, the 26-year alliance between the LDP and the Buddhist-backed party Komeito collapsed. Komeito had long expressed concern about increasingly aggressive security policies within the LDP, but Takaichi's ascension appears to have been the breaking point for the smaller party. Professor Hiromi Murakami of Temple University's Tokyo campus noted, "Komeito was already worried about Takaichi's hawkish stance on security, on relations with South Korea and China, and their fear was that she would go even further as soon as she was in office."

The breakdown was exacerbated by Takaichi's decision to name Koichi Hagiuda, a disgraced former LDP minister who had resigned less than two years earlier over a major financial scandal, to a senior position within the party. This appointment particularly dismayed Komeito leaders and made it appear, according to Professor Murakami, "that Takaichi simply does not care about an issue that enraged the electorate and was arguably the main reason they have fared so badly in recent elections." When pressed about her stance on Yasukuni Shrine following her confirmation as LDP leader, Takaichi declined to give a clear answer, refusing to rule out future visits while insisting that the shrine is "not a diplomatic issue" and that proper ways of honoring the war dead "should be judged at the appropriate time."

Komeito's withdrawal left the LDP with 197 seats in the House of Representatives, significantly short of the 233 required for a majority, and 101 seats in the House of Councillors, well below the 125-seat threshold. Professor Toshimitsu Shigemura of Waseda University characterized the situation as dire: "Takaichi and the LDP are both in deep trouble." He noted that Takaichi's rival Shinjiro Koizumi would likely have been able to convince Komeito to remain in the coalition, but "the party only elected her days ago and so they cannot realistically replace her, even though it seems clear they would have been far better off electing Shinjiro Koizumi." The moderate Koizumi had lost the internal vote against Takaichi, who was backed by powerful LDP kingmaker and former Prime Minister Taro Aso.

Facing the prospect of minority government status, Takaichi and the LDP scrambled to secure new coalition partners. On October 20, 2025, the LDP struck a deal with the Japan Innovation Party (JIP), a development that pushed the Nikkei 225 index up more than three percent to a new record above 49,000 points. The new coalition remained two seats shy of the lower house majority needed to guarantee Takaichi's appointment as prime minister in the initial vote. However, constitutional procedures meant that Takaichi would likely prevail in a second-round run-off vote, as she would only need to receive more support than any other single candidate.

This political arrangement set Takaichi on course to become Japan's first female prime minister, though she would govern from a position of considerable weakness. Being in the minority in both houses of parliament, the new coalition would require support from other parties to advance legislation. Opposition parties positioned themselves to take advantage of this vulnerability. Constitutional Democratic Party President Noda Yoshihiko emphasized his party's contrasting approach: "We want supplementary budget discussions as soon as possible to combat rising prices. Our party will remain at the political center. That's the difference between us and Takaichi's LDP." Japan Innovation Party Representative Yoshimura Hirofumi indicated openness to coalition discussions but emphasized the need for policy agreement. Democratic Party for the People President Tamaki Yuichiro noted areas of potential common ground with Takaichi's LDP on fundamental issues.

Governance Challenges and Early Priorities

During her campaign, Takaichi notably moderated some of her messaging, declaring herself a "moderate conservative" and declining to comment on her previously stated intention to visit Yasukuni Shrine as prime minister. She also tempered her economic policy stance and sounded more conciliatory regarding China. However, her fundamental policy priorities remained clear. She stressed that her party's relationship with Komeito would remain important but indicated willingness to expand coalition arrangements if other parties shared the LDP's perspective on key issues. She identified constitutional amendments, diplomacy, security, and fiscal policies as areas where the party would seek common ground with potential partners.

Takaichi faces immediate diplomatic challenges as prime minister. She has emphasized her commitment to reaffirming and reinforcing the Japan-U.S. alliance, and a potential summit with U.S. President Donald Trump was reportedly being planned for late October 2025 when Trump was scheduled to travel to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea starting October 31, 2025. Such a meeting could see Trump demanding increased Japanese defense spending, testing Takaichi's ability to navigate alliance obligations while managing domestic political constraints. She has stated her intention to promote trilateral cooperation with Washington and other partners in support of regional stability.

Regarding Yasukuni Shrine, Takaichi has maintained that it should never be made into a diplomatic issue and expressed her desire to create an environment where people around the world can pay their respects to lives lost in their home countries. However, her refusal to clearly rule out future visits continues to generate concern among Japan's neighbors and presents an ongoing diplomatic complication. Her regular visits to the shrine in the past, combined with her nationalist stance, suggest that managing relations with South Korea and China will remain challenging. Her suggestion of a "quasi-security alliance" with Taiwan and her criticism of China's military build-up position her foreign policy approach as notably assertive.

Historical Significance and Contemporary Context

Takaichi's ascension to the prime ministership represents a significant milestone in Japanese politics, making her the first woman to lead both the LDP and to serve as prime minister. In a country that ranks poorly in international gender equality metrics, where women comprise only approximately fifteen percent of the lower house and only two of forty-seven prefectural governors are women, her achievement demonstrates progress in breaking gender barriers at the highest levels of political leadership. However, the significance of this breakthrough is complicated by her own conservative positions on gender and social policy, as she has not championed progressive gender equality measures and maintains traditional views on family structure and women's roles.

Her comment that she would "abandon the word 'work-life balance'" and instead "work, work, work and work" generated substantial social media discussion, triggering mixed reactions between appreciation for her dedication and concern about promoting unhealthy work culture. This statement reflects broader debates in Japanese society about work culture, gender expectations, and quality of life, issues that Takaichi's governance will need to address even as she prioritizes security and constitutional matters.

Takaichi's political rise reflects broader currents in Japanese politics, particularly the resurgence of conservative nationalism and the transformation of postwar political consensus. Her career trajectory demonstrates how conservative politicians have systematically pursued what they characterize as "normal country" status for Japan, seeking greater military-political capabilities and a more assertive regional role. Her leadership represents continuity with the Abe legacy while potentially pushing certain positions even further, particularly regarding constitutional revision and security policy.

The political circumstances of her ascension, characterized by minority government status and coalition fragility, place significant constraints on her ability to implement her agenda. The LDP's weakened electoral position, stemming from financial scandals and public dissatisfaction with "money politics," means that Takaichi must balance her conservative priorities against the need to maintain coalition support and avoid further electoral setbacks. Opposition parties and potential coalition partners will have substantial leverage in shaping policy outcomes, potentially moderating some of her more controversial positions.

Assessment and Future Trajectory

Throughout her career spanning more than three decades, Takaichi has established herself as one of the most significant figures in contemporary Japanese conservative politics. Her ability to navigate the complexities of LDP factional politics, combined with her policy expertise and ideological consistency, has enabled her to rise to the highest position in Japanese politics. Her influence extends beyond official positions through her leadership of the Seiwa Seisaku Kenkyukai faction and her extensive network within the party, giving her considerable leverage over party direction and policy formation.

International reactions to Takaichi's leadership have been mixed. Her nationalist positions and historical revisionism generate concern among Japan's neighbors, particularly China and South Korea, who view her ascension as potentially damaging to regional relations. Her strong stance on security issues finds some support among those concerned about China's military expansion and regional assertiveness, though Western observers often express unease about aspects of her historical interpretation while acknowledging her administrative competence.

As Japan's first female prime minister, Takaichi's tenure will be closely watched both for its policy outcomes and its implications for gender representation in Japanese politics. Her victory demonstrates both the possibility of women reaching the highest levels of power in Japanese politics and the persistence of conservative ideology, as she herself has not been an advocate for progressive social transformation. Whether her leadership opens doors for other women in politics or remains an exceptional case within a persistently male-dominated system remains an open question.

The fundamental challenge facing Takaichi's premiership lies in balancing her conservative ideological commitments with the practical necessities of minority government. Her stated priorities of constitutional revision, military expansion, and assertive regional diplomacy face significant political obstacles given her coalition's parliamentary arithmetic. Economic challenges including inflation, wealth inequality, and structural reform needs compete for attention and resources with her security agenda. Her ability to maintain coalition unity while pursuing her policy objectives, manage relations with opposition parties, navigate complex diplomatic relationships with allies and neighbors, and address public concerns about governance and living standards will determine both the success of her administration and her political longevity.

Takaichi's impact on Japanese politics and regional dynamics will be substantial regardless of how long she serves as prime minister. Her leadership marks a definitive shift in Japanese conservatism, potentially establishing new parameters for debate on constitutional issues, defense policy, and historical interpretation. Whether this shift produces stable governance and constructive regional relationships, or generates increased domestic division and international tension, will become clearer as her administration confronts the complex challenges facing contemporary Japan.