Summary

  • Sanae Takaichi has won a historic vote to become Japan's first female prime minister

  • The 64-year-old conservative is known as Japan's "Iron Lady" - she's an admirer of the UK's former PM Margaret Thatcher

  • This is her third attempt at becoming Japan's leader, and she's the fourth PM in five years from her scandal-hit party, the LDP - here's why Japanese PMs change so often

  • She belongs to the LDP's hardline wing and is a protege of the late former PM Shinzo Abe

  • Trump had earlier hailed her as a "highly respected person of great wisdom"

  • Now that she's elected, Takaichi's challenges will include fixing a sluggish economy, navigating a rocky US-Japan relationship and uniting a divided ruling party

Media caption,

The moment Sanae Takaichi wins Japan's lower house

  1. We're pausing our live coveragepublished at 09:44 BST

    Ayeshea Perera
    Live page editor

    It's a historic day for Japan, where a woman has been elected to the country's top job for the first time. But while her celebrations may have just begun, Takaichi already has her work cut out for her. Here's what lies ahead:

    • Known as Japan's "Iron Lady" and a protege of former PM Shinzo Abe, the conservative politician has become Japan's fourth leader in five years after winning a simple majority in the country's Lower and Upper House. This was her third attempt at becoming prime minister
    • Now that she's assumed the role, she will have to announce her new cabinet who will then head to the imperial palace for an attestion ceremony and their first cabinet meeting. She is expected to be sworn in as the country's 104th prime minister on Tuesday evening
    • She will have to answer to the country of 120 million people, many of whom are struggling with high inflation and rising costs
    • She will also have to tackle the country's discontented voters - some of whom voted for far-right parties after simmering discontentment with mainstream politics
    • Before entering politics, Takaichi, a heavy metal enthusiast who still enjoys playing the drums, was briefly a newscaster. She also likes to scuba dive and has a fondness for vehicles

    We're pausing our live coverage for now, but you can read more in our news story here

  2. Sanae Takaichi is an advocate of "Abenomics" - what is it exactly?published at 09:33 BST

    Suranjana Tewari
    Asia Business Correspondent

    Sanae Takaichi is a long-time advocate of "Abenomics" - the policies of the late prime minister Shinzo Abe. They include higher government spending and tax breaks to cushion the rising cost of living.

    Takaichi has in the past criticised the Bank of Japan's decision to raise interest rates. Higher interest rates make it more costly for businesses to operate and expand, pushing the price of goods up.

    Economic reform was also a central plank of "Abenomics" and even though it helped Japan beat a fall in the price of goods - also known as deflation - under Abe, the policies ran up the government's massive debt which continues to be a massive challenge even today.

  3. Number one on new PM Takaichi's to-do list: Woo Trumppublished at 09:23 BST

    Shaimaa Khalil
    Tokyo correspondent

    Side view of Trump in a blue suit and red tie, surrounded by reporters and photographersImage source, EPA/Shutterstock

    One crucial item on Sanae Takaichi’s to do list is the upcoming visit by US President Donald Trump later this month.

    It’s a big test a few days into her leadership.

    When her predecessor Shigeru Ishiba went to Washington to meet Donald Trump early in his presidency, he held a "study group" with his team to come up with the best strategy to deal with the unpredictable US president - and it went well.

    While she may not have time for study sessions and a lot of prep, observers say Takaichi has a leg-up because she seems to be on the same page as the right-leaning, populist wavelength as the American president.

    When Takaichi won the LDP's leadership race earlier this month, Trump described it on Truth Social as "tremendous news for the incredible people of Japan".

    Social media pleasantries aside, Sanane Takaichi knows that she has to make a good impression on President Trump, whose style of diplomacy is heavily based on personal relationships.

    She has to do that with the tariff deal in mind - as well as the longstanding US-Japan defence alliance.

  4. What is the controversial Yasukuni shrine?published at 09:08 BST

    Yasakuni shrineImage source, Getty Images

    It's a shrine that honours Japan's war dead - but also some of the country's war criminals.

    In the past, visits to the shrine by top Japanese politicians have been highly controversial - seen by countries like China and Japan as a sign of Japan's lack of remorse for its militaristic past.

    Takaichi had often visited these shrines in the past. But last week, she sent an offering but decided to avoid a visit, a move likely aimed at placating the country's neighbours ahead of her expected inauguration.

    Read more about the shrine here.

  5. China tells Japan to 'honour' commitment on Taiwanpublished at 08:57 BST

    We've just heard from Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun at its daily press briefing.

    He said the ministry has "noted" the election results, adding that it's "Japan's internal affair".

    "China and Japan are close neighbors," he said, adding that the ministry hopes Japan would "honour its political commitments on major historical and Taiwan issue".

    China claims the self-governed Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out using force to take it.

    Meanwhile, Takaichi is known to be a China hawk and called Taiwan an "extremely important partner and cherished friend" when she visited the island earlier this year.

    Like some of her predecessors, Takaichi also has a record of visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, which has historically angered China.

    Just last week the Chinese foreign ministry said it "lodged serious protests" after reports of Takaichi making an offering to the shrine.

  6. Who else could be in the new cabinet?published at 08:47 BST

    Shaimaa Khalil
    Tokyo correspondent

    We have already spoken about Satsuki Katayama, the Shinzo Abe protege who could become the country's first female finance minister. Here are some other names that stand out in Takaichi's potential cabinet according to local media reports:

    Shinjiro Koizumi as defence minister. The 44-year-old son of former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi really made an impression on the party leadership in the way he handled the rice crisis earlier this year - he’s seen as a young up-and-coming name. We'll have to watch how he deals with the Trump administration on defence.

    Ryosei Akazawa will potentially be kept on as trade minister - which means Takaichi plans to go through with the tariff deal he has struck with the Trump administration, after more than 10 visits to Washington DC in the last two months.

  7. Takaichi is also a heavy metal drummer and car enthusiastpublished at 08:32 BST

    We have a lot of reporting on the challenges facing Sanae Takaichi now that she has become PM, along with analysis of her conservative brand of politics. But here are some quirkier things you may not have known about her:

    • Once a heavy metal drummer, she was famous for carrying many sticks because she would break them during intense drumming
    • She was also a scuba diver...
    • ... and a car enthusiast. her beloved Toyota Supra is now displayed in a Nara museum.
    • Before entering politics, Takaichi worked briefly as a television host
    • She had to work to pay her own university fees because her parents refused to send a girl to university

  8. Japan may soon have its first female finance minister toopublished at 08:19 BST

    Satsuki Katayama with permed black hair smiling at the camera. She is wearing a magenta blazer and sitting on a green armchair.Image source, Reuters

    Sanae Takaichi is expected to appoint Satsuki Katayama as finance minister, local media has reported.

    If that happens, Katayama would be the first woman to be appointed to that post - in what will be another historic moment.

    Katayama already chairs the LDP's finance and banking research commission.

    Like Takaichi, Katayama is a protege of former conservative Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

    In 2019, she became the first woman to witness the Japanese emperor's accession ceremony. At the time she was the minister of regional revitalisation and female empowerment in Abe's cabinet.

  9. How are Japanese media reporting the news?published at 08:08 BST

    All major Japanese news outlets are leading with the news of Takaichi’s victory, highlighting her historic achievement as the first female prime minister.

    The first major development expected is the announcement of her cabinet appointments. Some newspapers, like Mainichi Shimbun, have noted that she is offering positions to all four of her opponents in the party leadership race, projecting a picture of unity within her party.

    Reports also focused on the immediate challenges ahead, including passing a supplementary budget for the 2025 fiscal year to address the onging rise in prices. Another key task, as pointed out by Sankei Shimbun, is passing a bill to reduce the seats in the lower house by 10% - part of the coalition agreement with the Japan Innovation Party.

  10. Can 'Sanaenomics' help Japan's economy?published at 07:54 BST

    Suranjana Tewari
    Asia Business Correspondent

    People in Japan are struggling with the cost of living - inflation is at a historic high and Takaichi has promised to help ease it.

    Takaichi also faces the challenge of a decline of Japan's population, and a slowing economy. She has said she wants to revive growth through tax cuts and increased government spending. Investors are already concerned about Japan's debt levels which are among the highest in the industrialised world.

    A trade deal between Washington and Tokyo is still unresolved, and Trump wants Japan to stop buying oil from Russia and boost defence spending. Japan's manufacturers and especially its automakers are waiting for confirmation of that deal to price in the agreed tariffs on their goods.

    But investors are clearly feeling optimistic about Takaichi's campaign promises, with her victory boosting Japan's stock markets to record highs.

  11. Change in Japan's leadership seen with alarm in Seoulpublished at 07:46 BST

    Jake Kwon
    Reporting from Seoul

    The outgoing Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's election last year was met with optimism in South Korea.

    Seoul and Tokyo have been on a rocky patch for years due to historical issues. The matter of Japan’s wartime slavery and its leaders’ customary visits to the Yasukuni Shrine where Japan’s war dead, including the war criminals, are enshrined, have been a minefield that repeatedly upended the friendship between the two countries.

    Ishiba, who has been critical of paying respects at the shrine and Japan’s wartime past, was seen as conciliatory towards Seoul. South Korea’s right-wing president at that time, Yoon Suk Yeol, went against domestic headwinds to repair the relationship with Tokyo.

    South Korea’s media is sounding alarm now that the new prime minister Takaichi will ruffle up South Korean feathers again.

  12. What foreign policy challenges will PM Takaichi face?published at 07:31 BST

    TrumpImage source, Getty Images

    Sanae Takaichi takes on Japan's leadership at a complex time for foreign policy.

    At the core is Japan's relationship with the US. Both countries have long been allies, but Takaichi will have to navigate a relationship with a fickle Trump, who has in the past appeared to waver in his commitment to Japan.

    In April this year, Trump had criticised a security treaty with Japan as "one sided", saying: "We pay billions of dollars to defend them, but they don't pay anything". And though both countries have now reached a deal after months of negotiations - the challenge will be in maintaining this close cooperation.

    She will also have to deal with China's increasing assertiveness in the region - and look to forge closer ties with other countries in a bid to counter Beijing's growing influence.

  13. 'We shouldn't put her on a pedestal just because she is a woman'published at 07:17 BST

    Shaimaa Khalil
    Tokyo correspondent

    Audrey Hill-Uekawa

    We're hearing more now from other young women on what they make of Takaichi being Japan's first female leader.

    Audrey Hill-Uekawa, 20, applauds Takaichi for being the country's first female leader, but adds that: "She's also not really going against the grain...she's saying the same thing as the men.

    "Also, putting her on a pedestal just because she's a woman, isn’t good. We need to make sure we're talking about her policies. We need to be able to criticise her [as much] as everyone else."

    Minori Konishi, 21, has this to say about Taikaichi: "In comparison to other politicians that might be speaking out more for women's rights, her win may not be as encouraging for young women."

  14. If you are just joining us, here's a recappublished at 07:04 BST

    Sanae Takaichi has created history - becoming Japan's first female PM after securing majority votes from both the Lower and Upper Houses of parliament.

    If you're just joining us, here's what to know:

    We'll bring you the latest updates as we get them - stick with us.

  15. Takaichi is breaking new ground in a patriarchal countrypublished at 06:51 BST

    Mariko Oi
    Presenter, Asia Specific podcast

    A young Japanese woman with brown hair and white blouse looks into a shop window. Her reflection can be seen looking back at her.Image source, EPA/Shutterstock

    In Japan, gender equality keeps making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

    It ranked 118th out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum's latest report.

    Leadership positions have traditionally been dominated by men and despite its efforts, the country has struggled to increase the number of female lawmakers and business leaders.

    The government had a target to increase the percentage of female leaders to 30% by 2020 before quietly pushing back the deadline - and they still haven't reached that target.

    That is partly because while Japanese women are some of the best educated in the world, there is societal or even familial pressure for girls to behave in certain ways - there is more emphasis on women becoming housewives for instance, and a certain taboo on women rising to leadership roles.

  16. Upper House also elects Takaichi as PMpublished at 06:41 BST
    Breaking

    After a run-off vote, the Upper House has also elected Takaichi to be Japan's next Prime Minister, securing her ascent to the post.

    She got 125 votes in the Upper House - one more vote than what she had needed to win a simple majority. Earlier, she got 237 votes in the Lower House, more than the required majority of 233.

  17. Trump has praised Takaichi's 'great wisdom and strength'published at 06:29 BST

    Earlier this month, Trump had congratulated Takaichi upon her winning the leadership race of her party, the LDP, calling her win "tremendous news".

    He described her as a "highly respected person of great wisdom and strength" - and praised her role as Japan's first female Prime Minister - though she has not been confirmed in the position as yet.

    In response, Takaichi posted that she was "very pleased" with the US leader's message, saying she was "hoping to work together [with him] to make our alliance even stronger and more prosperous".

    Takaichi has so far positioned herself as a reliable partner to the US - saying earlier this month that she planned to honour an investment deal with Trump, despite earlier signals - a sign that she plans to maintain stability in bilaterial ties.

  18. 'She perpetuates the patriarchal system'published at 06:14 BST

    Shaimaa Khalil
    Tokyo correspondent

    Ayda Ogura

    Though Takaichi has now become Japan's first ever female leader, some of the country's young women say they are not convinced that she will advance their rights.

    Takaichi has in the past spoken in support of male-only imperial succession, is against married women keeping their maiden names and is against same-sex marriage.

    21-year-old Ayda Ogura says it was "interesting" for her to see how people outside Japan reacted to news of Takaichi's premiership.

    "Everyone's like, “wow, she's the first female prime minister in Japanese history and that would be a great opportunity for woman empowerment and gender equality. But I think that would be a very naive interpretation of this whole situation.

    If you look into her political beliefs and what she stands for, you would realize that some of the things are very traditional, and instead of creating structural change, she rather perpetuates the patriarchal system."

  19. Angry public watching closelypublished at 06:08 BST

    Shaimaa Khalil
    Tokyo correspondent

    One thing to remember is that this was not a people’s vote. This is essentially the political ilk choosing a leader amongst themselves.

    Sanae Takaichi will have a major task ahead of her - to rebuild the trust of the public in her Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

    Many are still angry about the fundraising scandal that has implicated senior party members. They are also angry at how the LDP hasn’t done enough to hold people to account - while they continue to suffer financially.

  20. Takaichi's election shows what is possible for Japanese girls to achievepublished at 05:58 BST

    Mariko Oi
    Presenter, Asia Specific podcast

    Takaichi smiling with her mouth closed. She is wearing a blue blazer and a white pearl necklaceImage source, Reuters

    While many of Japan's feminists may not be celebrating the country's first female prime minister for her policies, I believe Takaichi can still be a role model that young Japanese girls could look up to - it shows them you don't need to be an old man to be a leader of their country.

    As Kathy Matsui, who coined the term Womenomics, says, you cannot be what you cannot see.

    In a country where so many prime ministers and lawmakers are sons, grandsons or even great grandsons of politicians, there is a certain level of respect for her effort to have climbed up the political ladder without having a family connection.

    It is well known that Takaichi's parents didn't want to send her to a university because she was a girl - and that the young Takaichi had to earn her own tuition fees.

    She has also talked openly about her struggles to have biological children but has helped to raise three children from her husband's previous marriage.

    Her most recent challenge has been to take care of her husband who recently had a stroke.

    Those personal experiences have and will most certainly shape her policies.