Sanae Takaichi breaks glass ceiling as Japan’s first female prime minister
Takaichi replaced Shigeru Ishiba, ending three months of political vacuum and strife since the Liberal Democratic Party’s disastrous election loss in July.
Ishiba, who served only one year as prime minister, resigned from his cabinet earlier in the day, paving the way for his successor.
The LDP’s impromptu alliance with the Osaka-based right-wing Japan Innovation Party, or Ishin no Kai, ensured his premiership due to the opposition’s lack of unity. Takaichi’s untested alliance still lacks a majority in both houses of parliament and will need to persuade other opposition groups to pass any legislation; This is a risk that could make his government unstable and short-lived.
“Political stability is very important right now,” Takaichi said at the signing ceremony with JIP leader and Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura on Monday. “Without stability, we cannot push measures for a strong economy or diplomacy.”
The two parties signed a coalition agreement on policies that underlined Takaichi’s hawkish and nationalist views. The last-minute deal comes after the Liberal Democrats lost their long-time partner, Buddhist-backed Komeito, which has a more dovish and centrist stance. The dissolution threatened a change of power for the LDP, which had ruled Japan almost uninterrupted for decades. Later in the day, Takaichi, 64, will present a Cabinet with allies of the LDP’s strongest kingmaker, Taro Aso, and others who supported him in the party leadership vote.
Yoshimura said JIP would not hold ministerial posts in Takaichi’s cabinet until he was sure of his party’s partnership with the LDP.
Takaichi is approaching his deadline; He will give a major policy speech later this week, hold talks with US President Donald Trump and attend regional summits. It needs to respond quickly to rising prices and collect economy-boosting measures by the end of December to relieve public disappointment.
Although she is the first woman to serve as Japan’s prime minister, she is in no rush to promote gender equality or diversity.
Takaichi is among Japanese politicians who have blocked measures for the advancement of women. Takaichi supports the male-only inheritance of the imperial family and opposes same-sex marriage and allowing married couples to have separate surnames.
Takaichi, a protégé of assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, is expected to emulate his policies, such as stronger military and economy as well as revising Japan’s pacifist constitution. It is unknown how much success Takaichi can achieve due to his poor control of the power.
When Komeito left the ruling coalition, it was cited for the LDP’s lax response to slush fund scandals that led to consecutive election defeats.
The centrist party also expressed concerns about Takaichi’s revisionist view of Japan’s wartime past and his regular prayers at Yasukuni Shrine and recent xenophobic statements despite protests from Beijing and Seoul, which viewed the visits as a lack of repentance for Japanese aggression.
Takaichi toned down his hawkish rhetoric. Instead of going to Yasukuni on Friday, he sent a religious ornament.
