Sanae Takaichi is the first female Prime Minister of Japan (assumed office on 21 October 2025). She was elected prime minister by the Japanese parliament after her party, Liberal Democratic Party, formed a coalition with the right-wing Japan Innovation Party.
Takaichi’s ascent shatters a symbolic barrier in one of the world’s most powerful economies. She broke into elite political spaces, she has navigated entrenched patriarchy, party hierarchies, and cultural expectations that have historically excluded women from power. On the surface, her leadership signals possibility.
Born 7 March 1961 in Nara Prefecture, Takaichi studied business at Kobe University before entering politics. She was first elected to Japan’s House of Representatives in 1993 and has held multiple senior government roles, including Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications and Minister in charge of Economic Security.
Takaichi’s views have been variably described as conservative or ultraconservative. Her domestic policy includes support for proactive government spending and continuing Abenomics. She has taken conservative positions on social issues, such as opposition to same-sex marriage, to the recognition of separate surnames for spouses, and to female succession to the Japanese throne. She supports revising Article 9 of the Constitution of Japan – which renounces the use of military force – has a pro-Taiwanese foreign policy, and supports strengthening the US–Japan alliance.
Even if her policies are not progressive, Takaichi’s leadership matters. Recognising her does not mean endorsing her views; it means examining how women navigate power in male-dominated systems. Her rise highlights the compromises women often face in leadership and reminds us that visibility alone is not enough—critical engagement is key to understanding and reshaping what true, transformative leadership looks like.
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