Can Japan’s first female PM escape the revolving door?
Source: Lowy Institute
Sanae Takaichi is poised to make history as Japan’s first female prime minister. Having lost to Fumio Kishida in 2021 and again to Shigeru Ishiba last year, she emerged victorious on her third attempt in the male-dominated contest to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on 4 October. As the LDP remains the biggest party in parliament despite substantial losses in the last election, Takaichi is widely expected to be elected prime minister when the parliament meets on 15 October.
Takaichi’s triumph marks a significant milestone in Japanese politics, opening the door for women to reach top political office. Currently, the incumbent cabinet under Ishiba includes only two female ministers, and women make up just 16% of parliament. Takaichi has pledged to improve gender balance in her cabinet to “Nordic levels”, and introduce family-friendly policies such as partial tax deductions for babysitting fees and corporate tax breaks for companies that provide in-house childcare.
Sanae Takaichi is poised to make history as Japan’s first female prime minister. Having lost to Fumio Kishida in 2021 and again to Shigeru Ishiba last year, she emerged victorious on her third attempt in the male-dominated contest to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) on 4 October. As the LDP remains the biggest party in parliament despite substantial losses in the last election, Takaichi is widely expected to be elected prime minister when the parliament meets on 15 October.
Takaichi’s triumph marks a significant milestone in Japanese politics, opening the door for women to reach top political office. Currently, the incumbent cabinet under Ishiba includes only two female ministers, and women make up just 16% of parliament. Takaichi has pledged to improve gender balance in her cabinet to “Nordic levels”, and introduce family-friendly policies such as partial tax deductions for babysitting fees and corporate tax breaks for companies that provide in-house childcare.