Japan is expected to have its first ever female prime minister following the election of Sanae Takaichi as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). She is due to take office in the middle of the month.
Takaichi, a staunch admirer of Margaret Thatcher who has vowed to build a “strong and prosperous” Japan on the international stage, defeated her rival Shinjiro Koizumi in the party leadership vote held on Saturday at LDP headquarters in Tokyo.
The election comes after current Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced his resignation after less than a year in office, saying it was time to find a successor to lead the “new LDP“.
“Together with so many of you, we have carved a new era for the LDP. Rather than feeling happy right now, I feel real challenges lie ahead. I am convinced that there is a mountain of work we must tackle together. We must all pull together across all generations and work as one to rebuild the LDP. Everyone will have to work like a horse,” she said after winning the election.
Although the LDP does not hold a majority in parliament, it is highly likely that Takaichi will be approved as the new prime minister.
