Is Japan ready for its first female PM?

Japan has never confronted the raw contradiction inherent in its postwar democracy: a nation reconstructed from devastation, yet shackled by entrenched hierarchies that dictate who may wield authority. The first week of next month, however, a singular possibility emerges.

- BY NILANTHA ILANGAMUWA

Sanae Takaichi, former economic security minister and unflinching conservative, positions herself as the foremost contender to assume the premiership, an office long monopolised by men. Her candidacy is not merely symbolic; it exposes the fissures in Japan's political system, its gender inequities, and the enduring influence of historical power brokers, while raising profound questions about legitimacy, merit, and risk in governance.

Takaichi's ascent is neither conventional nor superficial. Born in 1961 in Nara Prefecture, she briefly explored entertainment before committing to political life. Her studies at Kobe University were complemented by exposure to American legislative procedures as an aide in the U.S. House of Representatives—an experience that endowed her with strategic insight unusual among Japanese lawmakers. Entering the Diet in 1993, she quickly manoeuvred the LDP's factional matrix, becoming a protégé of Shinzo Abe, whose influence and legacy continue to bolster her standing. This mentorship, combined with her skill at coalition-building within the party, positions her as a candidate with both institutional acumen and grassroots resonance.

Takaichi is resolute. She is an unapologetic nationalist, frequenting the Yasukuni Shrine and advocating constitutional revision to formally recognise the Self-Defense Forces. These positions signal loyalty to the LDP's conservative base while simultaneously provoking unease in China and South Korea, for whom such gestures evoke historical trauma. Yet Takaichi's platform is not monolithic. Recently, she has articulated policies addressing Japan's persistent gender inequities: partial tax deductions for childcare, corporate incentives for in-house care, and advocacy around women's health informed by her personal experience with menopause and caregiving responsibilities. In these measures, she manages the tension between ideological orthodoxy and pragmatic responsiveness.