64-year-old Sanae Takaichi, former minister for economic security, was elected at the beginning of October as the new leader of Japan's ruling party, the Liberal Democrats (LDP). On October 15, she hopes to be approved by the parliament and will thus become Japan's fifth prime minister in as many years and the first woman in the post.
Triggered stock market surge
When the news came that Takaichi was elected as LDP leader and can thus take over the prime minister's post, the stock market in Japan took a joyful leap on hopes that she, like her mentor and predecessor Shinzo Abe and his "Abenomics", will introduce fiscal stimulus measures and a more expansive monetary policy.
It is probably those things that the market sees before it as potentially positive opportunities for the Japanese economy with her at the helm, says Patrik Ström, researcher and head of the Japan Institute at the Stockholm School of Economics.
He also notes that it is not when it comes to the economy that Takaichi has adopted Thatcher's policy.
Margaret Thatcher was not exactly a person with spendthrift pants on.
Conservative stance
The similarities are found rather in the future Japanese prime minister's conservative stance on many other issues. She is, for example, against same-sex marriage, wants to see tougher measures when it comes to immigration, and is an advocate for the male line of succession within the imperial family.
If you talk to younger Japanese women, she is probably not their favorite. An example of why is that she has expressed herself and said that she thinks women should take their husband's surname when they get married. And that's what many in the younger generation think is very conservative.
Nordic ambitions
Even if young women in Japan are not overly hopeful about what Sanae Takaichi can achieve in terms of increasing equality between the sexes in the country, Patrik Ström believes that her accession – if she is elected – will make a difference.
I think the signal value of Japan getting a female prime minister will be important. In the predecessor Shigeru Ishiba's government, there have been two women, and Takaichi has talked about having "Nordic ambitions" for her government. So it will be exciting to see how she will materialize that, says Patrik Ström.
Beatrice Nordensson/TT
Facts: Sanae Takaichi
TT
Sanae Takaichi was born in 1961 in Nara in western Japan.
She played drums in a heavy metal band in her youth and was known for always carrying several drumsticks because she played hard and the sticks often broke.
She is said to have had a great interest in cars and according to the BBC, one of her former cars, a Toyota Supra, is on display at a museum in her hometown of Nara.
Before she entered politics, she worked briefly as a TV presenter.
She ran in her first parliamentary election in 1992 as an independent candidate but lost.
A year later, she was elected and joined the LDP in 1996.
Takaichi has held high government posts, including as minister for economic security and as minister for internal affairs and communications.
In 2021, she ran for the party leadership post in the LDP for the first time but lost to Fumio Kishida. She tried again in 2024 but lost to Shigeru Ishiba.
This year, the third time around, she was finally elected as party leader and is expected to be approved as the new prime minister by the parliament on October 15.
"My goal is to become the iron lady," she said to a group of schoolchildren during her last campaign.
