Ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi elected as Japan’s first female Prime Minister
Tokyo – Japan’s parliament appointed sanae Takaichi as the president’s base sanae on Wednesday, a day after his opposition party struck a deal with a new partner expected to draw his own.
Takaichi replaces Shigeru Ishiba, ending a three-month political vacuum and conflict since the Democratic Party’s disastrous election loss in July.
Ishiba, who has only lasted one year as Prime Minister, resigned his Cabinet earlier in the day, paving the way for his replacement.
The LDP’s Off-Cuff Alliance with the Osaka-based Japan Innovation Party, or Ishin No Kai, secured his premiership because the opposition is not unified. Takaichi’s Alicested Alliance remains short of a majority in both houses of Parliament and would need to have other opposition parties to pass any legislation – a risk that would make his government unstable and unsustainable.
“Political strength is important now,” Takaichi said at a signing ceremony Monday with Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimu. “Without robustness, we cannot push for strong economic measures or propaganda.”
The two groups have signed a policy cooperation agreement emphasizing hawkichi’s views.
The last-minute deal came after the liberal Democrats lost their long-term ally, the Buddhist-backed komeito, which has a dovish stance. The split threatened a power transition for the LDP, which has ruled Japan virtually uninterrupted for decades.
Later in the day, Takaichi, 64, will launch a cabinet with many of his most powerful LDP allies, Taro ASO, and others backing him by returning the party’s leadership vote.
The JIP will not hold the post of Nukholoni in Takaichi’s cabinet until his party is confident in its cooperation with the LDP, Joshimura said.
Takaichi is working on a deadline – a major policy speech later this week, talks with President Trump and at regional conferences. He needs to quickly deal with rising prices and put together measures to strengthen the economy by the end of December to deal with public frustration.
While she is the first woman to serve as Prime Minister of Japan, she is in no rush to promote gender equality or diversity.
Takaichi is among Japanese politicians who have stepped forward for women. Takaichi supports the male-to-male succession of the Emperor and opposes same-sex marriage and allowing different surnames for married couples.
A protégé of slain prime minister Shyzo Abe, Takaichi is expected to emulate his policies including a strong military and economy, as well as revising Japan’s pacifist Constitution. With a weak grip on strength, it is not yet known how much takaichi will be able to achieve.
When Komeito left the ruling Coalition, he pointed to the LDP’s response to the Slush Funds scandals that led to successive election victories.
Centrist groups have also raised concerns about Takaichi’s view of Japan’s wartime militarism and his regular prayers at the Yasukuni shrine despite protests over Japan’s aggression, and his recent xenophobic remarks.
Takaichi toned down his hawkish rhetoric. On Friday, he sent a religious ornament instead to Yasukuni.
