From Heavy Metal Drummer to Prime Minister: Japan Elects Sanae Takaichi

Sanae Takaichi, a staunch conservative and former economic security minister, clinched the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election on Saturday, positioning her to become Japan's first woman prime minister. The 64-year-old defeated Shinjiro Koizumi, the 44-year-old agriculture minister and son of former premier Junichiro Koizumi, in a runoff vote with 54% to 46%, according to party officials. Takaichi, who topped the first round with 149 lawmaker votes and 36 from regional chapters, edged out Koizumi's 145 and 11, respectively, while Yoshimasa Hayashi, Toshimitsu Motegi, and Takayuki Kobayashi trailed. Parliament is expected to confirm her as premier on October 15, succeeding Shigeru Ishiba after his brief one-year tenure amid party scandals.

Takaichi's victory comes as the LDP grapples with eroding public trust following a slush fund scandal and inflation woes that cost the party its parliamentary majority in recent elections. The anti-immigration Sanseito party's rise has pressured the LDP to adopt tougher stances on foreign workers and tourists, issues that dominated the race. A vocal China critic, Takaichi has advocated for bolstering Japan's defence amid Beijing's Asia-Pacific military expansion. Her frequent visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine—honouring 2.5 million war dead, including convicted criminals—have strained ties with neighbours like China and South Korea, though she tempered such rhetoric during this campaign after losing to Ishiba in 2024.

Once a drummer in a college heavy metal band, Takaichi idolises Margaret Thatcher, the "Iron Lady", for her resolute leadership. However, analysts like the University of Tokyo's Sadafumi Kawato caution that her ascent advances women's political roles symbolically but not substantively. She opposes reforming Japan's 19th-century law mandating shared surnames for married couples, disproportionately burdening women, and aligns with the LDP's patriarchal leanings. Japan ranks 118th out of 148 in the World Economic Forum's 2025 Gender Gap Report, largely due to female under-representation in politics. Takaichi pledged a "Nordic-level" gender-balanced cabinet, potentially elevating women in key posts.

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Economically, Takaichi backs aggressive monetary easing and fiscal spending reminiscent of Shinzo Abe's "Abenomics", her late mentor, which could unsettle markets sensitive to Bank of Japan rate hikes. She has signalled readiness to renegotiate U.S. trade deals if tariffs harm Japan, following Tokyo's $550 billion investment pledge to Washington. Her nationalist bent, including calls for stricter foreigner crime rules, aims to reclaim voters swayed by populists. As the fifth LDP leader in five years, Takaichi inherits a fractured party and a nation facing demographic decline and geopolitical tensions, with her conservative agenda poised to steer Japan's postwar trajectory.

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