Contrary to the expectations of many political experts in Tokyo, Takaichi Sanae was chosen as the new leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in its presidential election on October 4. She defeated Koizumi Shinjiro, the son of popular former Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro, in the runoff. Under Japan’s parliamentary system, Takaichi is now almost certain to become the country’s next prime minister later this month.
Most remarkably, she will become Japan’s first female prime minister – a striking milestone in a nation that ranks lowest among major developed countries in terms of gender equality. It would mean Japan breaks the so-called “glass ceiling” even before the United States.
While many of Japan’s postwar prime ministers – including Abe Shinzo, Kishida Fumio, and Ishiba Shigeru – have been hereditary politicians, Takaichi is a self-made lawmaker who rose through the ranks without a political family background.
So, who is Takaichi Sanae, and why has she been chosen now as Japan’s new top leader?
Born in March 1961 in Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region, Takaichi grew up as the elder of two siblings. Her father worked for a Toyota-affiliated manufacturer, and her mother was a police officer. From an early age, she loved listening to heavy metal music.
She aimed to enter the prestigious Keio University, but when she found the tuition fees too high, she enrolled instead at the national Kobe University. There, she joined the light music club and played drums in a heavy metal band, immersing herself in music.
Her interest in politics began at the Matsushita Institute of Government and Management (MIGM), which she joined after graduation. The MIGM, founded in 1979 by Matsushita Konosuke, the Panasonic founder revered as Japan’s “God of Management,” trains future leaders for public service.
There, Takaichi first set her sights on politics in 1985, at the age of 24. During her time at the institute, Matsushita lectured on his vision for the 21st century. “Prosperity is shifting to Asia, so we can no longer focus solely on the United States,” he said, adding, “The global framework is changing.” He also predicted that “from the 1990s onward, the Japanese economy will fall into recession.”
Inspired by his words, Takaichi resolved to take on these challenges as a lawmaker.
Interestingly, Noda Yoshihiko, now the leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party, was her senior at the institute and even served as her interviewer when she enrolled. When Noda later ran for the Chiba Prefectural Assembly, Takaichi volunteered to help put up his campaign posters – a reminder of their long connection.
More well-known is Takaichi’s connection to the late Abe Shinzo, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister. Takaichi and Abe were first elected to the House of Representatives together in 1993. Sharing similar conservative beliefs, they developed a close and friendly relationship. Abe endorsed Takaichi’s candidacy in the 2021 LDP presidential election, the last one before his death.
An admirer of Margaret Thatcher, the former British prime minister known as the “Iron Lady,” Takaichi often wears blue outfits in homage to her political idol.
Why Takaichi Was Chosen
There are three main reasons why Takaichi was chosen as the new LDP president.
First, her election reflects an internal power shift within the LDP – a pseudo-change of government from its liberal wing to the conservative camp. Since Abe’s assassination in 2022, the conservative Abe faction has been weakened by scandals involving the former Unification Church and political slush funds, eventually leading to its dissolution.
The number of the LDP’s rank-and-file members and supporters eligible to vote this time was around 910,000, down from about 1.05 million in 2024. Analysts believe many conservatives drifted away after the party’s crushing defeat in the 2024 general election under the liberal Ishiba administration. In that vacuum, Japan’s far-right populist Sanseito party rose by attracting disaffected LDP conservatives.
This time, however, the LDP’s conservative base reunited behind Takaichi. While some voters left the party, the core conservatives who remained – frustrated by two national election losses – strongly backed her.
Takaichi won roughly 40 percent of the party’s rank-and-file members’ votes in the first round, a result that influenced Diet members in the runoff. Legislators could no longer ignore the strong grassroots support for Takaichi in their constituencies.
Second, Takaichi’s rise reflects a broader global trend in which right-wing and far-right politicians are gaining ground as populist parties expand their influence. The trend is fueled by anti-globalism, immigration concerns, and prolonged economic stagnation.
In the United States, Donald Trump’s “America First” movement has redefined conservative politics. In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party rose to power by emphasizing national identity and traditional values. In France, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally expanded its base amid frustration over immigration and inequality. Meanwhile, in Germany, the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has gained momentum.
Japan is no exception to this global wave.
Third, social media has become a decisive factor. Takaichi drew strong support from conservative voters on X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube, while her rival Koizumi dominated traditional media coverage, most notably television broadcasts, and opinion polls – which ultimately proved misleading.
Interestingly, polls showed that gender was less of a factor in the LDP race than the conservative-liberal divide. For example, younger men under 40 tended to support Takaichi, while older women over 60 favored Koizumi.
Challenges Ahead
Takaichi faces numerous challenges.
First, how far can she maintain her identity as a conservative politician while governing pragmatically? She has long taken hardline stances on historical issues and foreign policy, especially toward China, while being pro-Taiwan.
A hardliner on China, Takaichi has called for the creation of a National Intelligence Agency to strengthen intelligence gathering across diplomatic and security fields. As prime minister, she will need to strike a balance between ideological consistency and diplomatic realism.
A frequent visitor to Yasukuni Shrine, Takaichi will also face pressure over whether she will continue such visits as leader. The shrine honors Japan’s war dead – including Class A war criminals from the postwar Tokyo Trials. When then-Prime Minister Abe visited Yasukuni in December 2013, it provoked sharp criticism from China and South Korea, and even an unusual statement of “disappointment” from the Obama administration, briefly straining Japan-U.S. relations. The current Trump administration, too, seeks stability in Japan–South Korea ties, meaning Takaichi will likely tread carefully.
Like Abe, Ishiba, Meloni, and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, Takaichi rose to power by projecting a strong, distinctive personality and criticizing opponents. Yet once in office, leaders often face the limits of populist politics and are forced to take pragmatic steps at home and abroad to maintain stability. (U.S. President Donald Trump may be the exception.) This will be especially true for Takaichi, who inherits a minority government.
Second, soon after taking office, Takaichi is expected to meet with Trump, who will visit Japan on October 27. A key question will be whether she can establish a personal relationship of trust with the U.S. president.
Another issue is how she will respond if Trump presses Tokyo to increase defense spending. According to media reports, the Trump administration has asked Japan to raise its defense budget to 3.5 percent of GDP – a level that Japan’s strained finances can hardly sustain. Under current plans, Japan will spend 2 percent of GDP on defense by 2027 – and even that commitment faces question marks about how to fund the spending hike.
The security environment surrounding Japan is the most severe since World War II, with China intensifying its hegemonic moves and growing threats from Russia and North Korea.