Sanae Takaichi has won the election for the leadership of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party. This victory has established her in history as the first female Prime Minister of Japan. After becoming prime minister, he met Emperor Naruhito on Tuesday, further cementing his place in history.
Who is Sanae Takaichi?
Takaichi, 64, entered politics in the 1990s as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party, Japan’s largest party. He was born in Nara Prefecture in central Japan and graduated from Kobe University. His upbringing was more modest than that of many other senior LDP leaders.
She is known as a prominent disciple of late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He has also served in Abe’s cabinet and the cabinet of former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
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What are his politics and views?
Takaichi has been called the Iron Lady of Japan in the media because of her strong conservative views. She is a fan of late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
1. Economic Policies: She supports her mentor Shinzo Abe’s economic policies such as Abenomics, increasing government spending, easing economic policy, and carrying out major reforms.
2. Social and Security Issues: She opposes gay marriage. She takes a strong stance on immigration and wants to control it. He believes that men should be given priority in royal succession.
3. Foreign Policy and China: He is known as ‘China Hawk’. She supports maintaining a strong military force and the existing status quo in the Taiwan Strait. He has also made several trips to meet with Taipei’s political parties, which often angers China.
4. Controversial Trips: He has previously visited Yasukuni Shrine, a memorial to Japan’s war dead. It is a controversial site as war criminals from World War II are buried there.
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What does his victory mean for Japan?
According to experts, Takaichi’s victory means that Japan will move on the path of conservative governance and may adopt a more right-wing stance. She wants to strengthen Japan’s defense power. However, conservatism in Japan is slightly different from that in Western countries. She will not change Japan’s social welfare system, meaning she will continue to support social security and welfare programs.
According to one expert, Takaichi is a symbol of ‘strength in security, strength in China and strong US-Japan relations’.
challenges ahead
Takaichi’s path to becoming prime minister has not been easy, and he will face many major challenges. She will be Japan’s fourth prime minister in five years and will take power from a position of relative weakness.
They will have to deal with issues such as Japan’s growing cost-of-living crisis, the impact of the US trade wars, and security concerns over China and North Korea. His party, the LDP, is still recovering from a major corruption scandal.
Experts say that to remain in power, he may have to soften some of his harsh views, otherwise he may soon have to face a no-confidence motion.