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Conservative Sanae Takaichi celebrated a “new era” on Saturday after securing leadership of Japan’s ruling party, positioning her to potentially become the nation’s first female prime minister.
The 64-year-old, who idolises Margaret Thatcher, indicated that there is a “mountain of work” ahead to revitalise her struggling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The LDP has been in power in Japan for most of the last several decades but has been losing support as smaller parties, including the anti-immigration Sanseito, gain traction.
“Together with so many of you, we have carved a new era for the LDP,” Takaichi said at LDP headquarters after winning a run off vote against the telegenic and more moderate Shinjiro Koizumi, 20 years her junior.
“Rather than feeling happy right now, (I feel) real challenge lies ahead. I am convinced that there is a mountain of work we must tackle together, pooling our efforts,” she said.
Takaichi, a staunch conservative who moderated her language during the LDP election, is highly likely to be confirmed by parliament later this month as Japan’s fifth prime minister in the past five years. Now, she confronts a range of complex challenges, including an ageing population, geopolitical instability, a slowing economy, and growing concerns about immigration.
First, however, she must work to ensure that the LDP, which has been in continuous power since 1955, can regain voter support.
Regarding the economy, Takaichi has previously endorsed aggressive monetary easing and substantial fiscal spending, mirroring her mentor, former prime minister Shinzo Abe. Still, she moderated her views during the campaign, and the frequent visitor to the Yasukuni war shrine has also adopted a more cautious tone regarding China.
While the traditionalist faction of the LDP may initially celebrate that a woman is leading Japan, such celebrations might soon shift to disillusionment.
