Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan’s first female prime minister

Japan’s parliament has elected ultraconservative politician Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first female prime minister, following weeks of political uncertainty and coalition negotiations.

Takaichi’s victory on Tuesday ended a three-month leadership vacuum after Shigeru Ishiba’s resignation and the Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP) crushing defeat in July’s election. She secured 237 votes in the lower house, surpassing the 233 needed for a majority, while opposition leader Yoshiko Noda received 149.

Her rise to power came after the LDP struck a last-minute coalition deal with the right-leaning Japan Innovation Party (JIP), led by Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura. The new alliance replaces the LDP’s long-time partnership with the Buddhist-backed Komeito, which withdrew over corruption scandals and policy disagreements.

“Political stability is essential right now,” Takaichi said at the signing ceremony. “Without stability, we cannot push measures for a strong economy or diplomacy.”

Despite the coalition, the ruling bloc still lacks a clear majority in both parliamentary chambers, leaving the new administration reliant on smaller opposition parties to pass legislation, a dynamic that could limit her effectiveness.

At 64, Takaichi is expected to form a Cabinet dominated by allies of influential LDP figure Taro Aso and members who supported her leadership bid. The JIP will hold off on ministerial appointments until it is “confident about its partnership” with the LDP, Yoshimura said.

Takaichi inherits a daunting agenda: she must deliver an economic stimulus package by December, address rising living costs, and prepare for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has questioned aspects of the U.S.-Japan security alliance.

A protégé of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Takaichi supports constitutional revision to strengthen Japan’s defense forces. However, she is known for her conservative social views, backing male-only imperial succession and opposing same-sex marriage and separate surnames for married couples.

Her revisionist views on Japan’s wartime past have drawn criticism, particularly her visits to the Yasukuni Shrine. In a gesture of restraint, she recently sent a religious offering instead of attending in person.

Takaichi now faces the challenge of balancing her nationalist agenda with the demands of fragile coalition politics and a volatile international environment.