Historic event in the land of the rising sun

With 237 votes out of 465 valid ballots, Takaichi Sanae, the newly elected President of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), was officially chosen by Japan’s House of Representatives as the nation’s 104th Prime Minister - without the need for a second round of voting.

Takaichi Sanae. (Photo: Xinhua)

This marks a historic moment for Japan, as the country welcomes its first female Prime Minister since the establishment of the position in 1885.

Takaichi Sanae was elected Japan’s Prime Minister following the mass resignation of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s Cabinet, which stepped down after about one year in office. The outcome came as no surprise, as the LDP and its new coalition partner — the Japan Innovation Party (JIP) — had agreed the day before the extraordinary parliamentary session to jointly support Takaichi’s bid for premiership

At 64 years old, Takaichi becomes the 66th person to hold the position of Japan’s Prime Minister since Ito Hirobumi took office in 1885. Elected to the House of Representatives in 1993, she has served in several key roles within the LDP and the government, including Minister of Economic Security, Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, and Chair of the LDP Policy Research Council. Replacing former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Takaichi became the first woman to lead the LDP on October 4.

After being elected LDP President, Takaichi unveiled her domestic, foreign, security, and economic policy priorities, declaring that the LDP is entering a new era and would turn “the people’s anxieties into hope.” She called for cooperation from opposition parties to swiftly develop effective measures to tackle inflation, which has been weighing heavily on people’s lives.

After being elected LDP President, Takaichi unveiled her domestic, foreign, security, and economic policy priorities, declaring that the LDP is entering a new era and would turn “the people’s anxieties into hope.”

Takaichi expressed her readiness to increase the issuance of government bonds to cover fiscal deficits and fund initiatives aimed at stimulating economic growth. She also intends to tighten screening of foreign investments to safeguard economic security and impose stricter rules on non-resident foreigners, visa overstayers, and foreign acquisitions of Japanese land.

However, her path as head of Japan’s government is expected to be far from smooth, as she pursues policies widely viewed as conservative. Even with LDP–JIP cooperation, her administration still falls short of an outright majority of 233 seats in the 465–member House of Representatives.

The LDP and JIP have agreed to form a new coalition under which JIP will provide “outside Cabinet support,” meaning it will not appoint any ministers. This arrangement marks a new chapter in Japan’s multiparty political landscape, following the withdrawal of Komeito from its 26–year alliance with the LDP.

During policy negotiations, senior officials of both parties agreed that the LDP would work to implement JIP’s proposals, such as reducing the consumption tax on food to 0% (from the current maximum of 10%) and abolishing corporate and organisational political donations. The LDP also accepted JIP’s demand to cut the number of parliamentary seats—a prerequisite for JIP’s cooperation in the coalition.

With extensive experience in Japanese politics and leadership roles in both the LDP and government, Takaichi is known as a strong advocate for bold fiscal and monetary stimulus measures. Her ambitious economic agenda pledges to double the size of Japan’s economy within ten years through substantial state investment in new technologies, infrastructure, food production, and economic security.

During her LDP leadership campaign, Takaichi signalled her intention to appoint female lawmakers to key positions if elected. Under the leadership of Japan’s first female Prime Minister, the government is expected to usher in transformative change, helping the Land of the Rising Sun overcome current challenges and continue achieving new milestones in national development.

NDO