Japan gets its first woman PM

Japan is poised to anoint the country's first woman prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, even as the world's fourth-largest economy contends with an ageing population and a rise in populist and ultranationalist forces.

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The conservative hardliner of more than three decades standing on Saturday narrowly defeated the minister of agriculture and a political scion in the ruling centre-right Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)'s presidential race. Takaichi's confirmation in her historic new role as premier is expected to be a smooth sail when the Diet (parliament) convenes on the 15th of this month. Her LDP commands the largest bloc of seats in both houses of parliament, albeit without a majority in either, and could benefit from a fragmented and divided opposition. A one-time TV anchor, who recently told an audience that her goal was to become the "Iron Lady"-in reference to the British former premier Margaret Thatcher-the veteran Takaichi's mettle will be tested early on multiple fronts. Foremost, Japan has been dogged by political ins