Sanae Takaichi Leads Japan as Its First Female Prime Minister

Katie Leslie

Introduction to Japanese Women’s Political History 

Formal women’s rights and privileges in Japanese law emerged only in recent history. In 1947, Japan changed its constitution to include political rights for women, such as voting, running for Parliament, and attending universities. Later, in the 1970s, the Second Wave of Feminism brought global awareness to women’s representation and participation. International organizations and conferences like the 1995 UN Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing ushered in more opportunities for women in the public sphere. Despite these improvements, Japan still lagged behind in terms of gender equality compared to other nations due to its established patriarchal system. However, recent changes have offered women more access to the political field. The state enacted a gender equality law in 1999 that provided the foundation for more female participation, which condemns gender discrimination and promotes women’s equal opportunity to men. Since the late 20th century, the number of women legislators elected to the Diet (Japan’s Parliament) increased from 5.3% in 1989 to 10% in 2001. Recently, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also proposed policies to support career women, such as state-funded child care, which doubled as an attempt to resolve the state’s persistent decline in population and employment. Despite the consistent hold of traditional gender norms, Japan has made progress in supporting women to participate in politics and build careers outside the home.  

The Election of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi

In October 2025, Japan elected its first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. Takaichi beat her opponent, Yoshikoko Noda of the Constitutional Democratic Party, with 237 votes, four votes more than majority. The new prime minister stood and gave a deep bow as the votes came in and the Lower House’s decision appeared in her favor. Her regular blue suits represent her political beliefs, alluding to one of her idols, former conservative Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Margaret Thatcher. At 64 years old, Takaichi’s over thirty-year career in politics and elected office has made her an ideal leader for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a conservative and traditional faction that has held power for the past seven years in the Diet. The LDP recently formed a new coalition with a right-wing populist party, whose ideology matched with Takaichi’s beliefs and inspired her election. She stands out from the LDP’s majority of male members but devoutly shares their right-wing perspective in advocating for heightened immigration restrictions and aggressive policies on China. As Japan increasingly favors more conservative and nationalist thinking and governance, Takaichi perfectly reflects the state’s evolving ideology. Although the prime minister does not prioritize issues related to gender parity or women’s involvement, she continues to redefine gender stereotypes and expectations in the political sphere. 

Upbringing and Influences

Takaichi hails from a more modest upbringing than the many elite politicians around her, coming from a family without a political background. She grew up in the central Japanese Prefecture of Nara and was raised around gender norms and stereotypes. Although her mother told her early on to live with “feminine grace,” she also highlighted the importance of having “the thorns to confront wrongdoing.” Takaichi’s grace, strength, and perseverance earned her many acceptances at prestigious Japanese universities, but her parents were unsure of the value of their daughter receiving higher education as a woman and preferred to save money for their son’s schooling. They compromised that she attend Kobe University, an affordable state institution close to home. Nevertheless, she formed her own identity through her love of motorcycles, cars, and heavy metal. She played in a band during university as a drummer, with some of her idols being Deep Purple and Iron Maiden. Takaichi’s propensity for stereotypically “masculine” interests extends into her politics, where another Iron Maiden, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, influences her significantly.    

Even as one of the most conservative politicians in the Diet, Takaichi has mentioned her views and own experience of the struggles women face in politics. She directly calls out the informal nature of making connections at work that are partial to men, the stereotypes and labeling that men place on women, and the impossibility for women to meet at late hours as they often have responsibilities at home (referred to as the “Second Shift”). Male coworkers are often “dismissive” and hold meetings at saunas and social clubs, places that are inappropriate for female lawmakers and potentially damaging to their reputations. Despite her exposure to gender norms from a young age through her professional life, she defies Japan's patriarchal society in her own way. Takaichi stands out as an example of resilience in the face of many structural and cultural hurdles. 

Takaichi’s Political History

During a time when Japan was under political reform, Takaichi was first elected to the Diet in 1993 as an independent. She first joined the New Frontier Party, then was recruited to the LDP as they gained control. From there, her list of accomplishments only expanded, where she worked in the Ministry of Economic, Trade, and Industry under two prime ministers and led the LDP’s Policy Research Council to impact legislation. She was also the Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications under Prime Minister Abe’s second term and the Minister for Economic Security in Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s cabinet. In these roles, Takaichi derived many strong connections with politicians and leaders, especially Abe as she aligned closely with his politics. Based on her history and current political leanings, those in Japan and abroad wonder whether her far-right policies and the LDP’s commitment to their traditional, conservative voters will help or hinder Japan’s relations and pressing domestic issues.

The population straddles two sides of this question, with some citizens feeling positive about the election and others displaying uncertainty and criticism. Despite the hopeful prospect for further equality with Japan’s choice of a female prime minister, a number of gender equality and LGBTQ+ supporters and activists are worried, seeing her right-leaning politics as a threat to their future goals. On the other hand, some citizens see her taking on the position as a step toward equality and better women’s representation in traditionally male-dominated fields, even in consideration of her right-wing tendencies leading those equal-gender initiatives the opposite way. Early into her term, a variety of interpretations continue to surface on the meaning of Takaichi’s role as prime minister for Japan. 

Her Potential Legacy and Impact on Japanese Politics

Despite her lack of prioritizing “women’s issues” in her agenda, Takaichi challenges gender norms in both her personal and political life and is a strong female figure who has gained power in a patriarchal society. As the leader of a parliament that governs one of the most powerful nations in the current world, she is a role model for women globally as she breaks gender-based barriers in politics and international relations.

While continuing to support traditional family values, she promotes women’s participation throughout Japan, from her cabinet to the public. She appointed two women to her cabinet, placing them in prestigious and powerful positions. Her choices are Katayama Satsuki as the acclaimed leader of the Ministry of Finance and Onoda Kimi, with two roles as Minister of Economic Security and managing foreign residents (which reflects Takaichi’s emphasis on stronger immigration regulations). These women, along with Takaichi’s own leadership and encouragement of female representation, provide strong examples and are role models for other Japanese women, potentially leading to more female involvement in the workforce, education, and politics. 

Already, the prime minister has garnered major success with international cooperation and relations. From a summit with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, Takaichi has been quick to cultivate favorable relations with multiple organizations and leaders around the world. 

Conclusion

As the first female prime minister of an enduring patriarchal society, Sanae Takaichi changed the Japanese political realm with her election. Her position in a powerful domestic role as well as on the world stage sets her up as a force to be reckoned with. Takaichi’s leadership and policies, albeit conservative, can still change the tide in favor of Japanese women’s greater involvement throughout the nation.