Among other things, US President Donald Trump is slated to visit Japan next week, and the country’s fifth premier in as many years will be in charge of a minority administration.
After a surprising narrow majority in a first round of voting, Takaichi, a supporter of Margaret Thatcher, was named prime minister by the lower house of parliament on Tuesday.
The 64-year-old rose and bowed repeatedly to lawmakers, his expression solemn.
In a runoff after Takaichi failed to secure a majority, the upper chamber then voted in her favor. When Takaichi meets with the emperor later, he will formally assume office.
On October 4, the former drummer for heavy metal took over as leader of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has ruled virtually continuously for decades but is falling in popularity.
A scandal involving an LDP slush fund and Takaichi’s conservative views caused the Komeito party to leave their coalition six days later.
As a result, Takaichi was compelled to sign an alliance on Monday night with the right-wing, reformist Japan Innovation Party (JIP).
JIP seeks to eliminate corporate and organizational donations, cut the number of MPs, and eliminate the food consumption tax rate.
“Make Japan’s economy stronger and reshape Japan as a country that can be responsible for future generations,” Takaichi promised on Monday.
In Takaichi’s hometown of Nara, 76-year-old pensioner Toru Takahashi told AFP, “She’s a strong-minded person, regardless of being a woman.”
She differs from Trump. However, she knows exactly what is right and wrong,” he remarked.
Nordic
Under departing Premier Shigeru Ishiba, there were just two women in the cabinet; Takaichi has pledged a cabinet with “Nordic” numbers.
According to local media, these might include the half-American Kimi Onoda as minister of economic security and the right-wing Satsuki Katayama as finance minister.
According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap Report, Japan came in at number 118 out of 148. Corporate boardrooms are dominated by men, while women make up about 15% of lower house MPs.
Takaichi has been open about her personal menopausal experience and stated that she wants to increase awareness of women’s health issues.
However, she wants the imperial dynasty to continue with male-only succession and is against changing a 19th-century legislation that required married spouses to have the same last name.
Keiko Yoshida, a 39-year-old employee of the company in Nara, told AFP that she thinks Takaichi will “make Japan a more livable place for women.”
“I’d be happy if we saw more policies from a woman’s perspective: support for childcare, and help for women returning to work after having children,” agreed student Nina Terao, 18.
Abenomics
There is uncertainty surrounding the specifics of Japan’s proposed $500 billion in investments as part of its trade agreement with Washington.
Trump also wants Tokyo to increase defense spending and halt Russian energy imports.
73-year-old Satoshi Sakamoto, another Nara pensioner, told AFP, “I would like her to be a prime minister who can clearly say ‘No’ when needed.”
Reversing Japan’s population decrease and bringing some life to the stagnant economy are just two of Takaichi’s numerous difficulties.
The new coalition will require the backing of other parties in order to pass legislation because it is a minority in both houses of parliament.
Following in the footsteps of her mentor, former premier Shinzo Abe, Takaichi has previously supported dramatic monetary easing and increased government spending.
She has previously called for greater security cooperation with Taiwan and stated that Beijing poses a “security threat” and that Tokyo needs to “address it.” She also claimed that China “completely looks down on Japan.”
She used to frequently visit the Yasukuni shrine, which honors Japan’s war dead, but she has since softened her attitude and avoided it last week.
Following a series of unsatisfactory election outcomes that cost Ishiba his job, Takaichi will likewise face pressure to turn around the LDP.
The populist Sanseito, which refers to immigration as a “silent invasion,” is one of the smaller parties that is gaining momentum.
Nara retiree Satoe Tominaga, 77, told AFP that she was “50-50” about Takaichi and that “prices have gone up, and it’s tough.”
To be honest, I now primarily shop at 100-yen ($0.66) stores.
