Japan’s ‘Iron Lady’: How Sanae Takaichi climbed to the top of the LDP

A path to politics

Sanae Takaichi was born on March 7, 1961, in Nara Prefecture. Unlike most Japanese politicians, she doesn't come from political family. Her father worked for an automobile company, and her mother served in the police force. In her youth, the future politician played drums in a rock band and rode a motorcycle, with a passion for heavy music.

After graduating from Kobe University, Takaichi went to intern in the U.S. Congress, where she worked for Democrat Patricia Schroeder.

Takaichi entered politics in the early 1990s. In 1993, she was first elected to the House of Representatives as an independent candidate, later joining the LDP.

Protégée of Shinzo Abe

The turning point in her career came when she grew close to Shinzo Abe in the early 2000s. Takaichi became one of the future prime minister's most devoted allies. Under him, she held position as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, and also oversaw innovation, technology, and gender equality issues.

Takaichi's political views were largely shaped by Abe's influence. Like her mentor, she advocates for revising Japan's pacifist constitution and strengthening defense capabilities. On economic policy, Takaichi supports a return to "Abenomics", which is a combination of massive government spending and loose monetary policy.

In Japan, she's often compared to Margaret Thatcher, whom Takaichi openly admires.

Takaichi represents the right wing of the LDP. She's known for her tough stance on China and calls to strengthen defense. She regularly visits the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, which honors war dead including convicted war criminals. These visits draw criticism from Beijing and Seoul.

According to Kyodo News, at her first press conference as LDP head, just hours after the leadership vote, Takaichi stopped short of pledging to continue visiting Yasukuni, saying she would decide "appropriately," in an apparent consideration of China and South Korea. Meanwhile, she added that worship at the shrine in Tokyo "should never be made a diplomatic issue."

On domestic policy, Takaichi holds conservative views. She opposes legalizing same-sex marriage and allowing women to keep their maiden names after marriage, viewing these as departures from Japanese traditions. She speaks of the need to "revive traditional values."

However, her rhetoric has softened somewhat in recent years. In her election campaign, Takaichi promised to introduce tax breaks for companies providing in-house childcare services and make nanny services partially tax-deductible.

After her victory, she pledged to include more women in her future cabinet to "achieve nordic levels of gender balance."

Takaichi faces significant personal burdens. She cares for her husband, who has been paralyzed on his right side following a stroke. She has also spoken of her own health struggles, saying she failed to recognize menopause symptoms and left them untreated, which led to rheumatoid arthritis and eventually required an artificial joint.

But she told LDP members following her victory in the leadership election:

"I will have everyone work like a workhorse. I myself will abandon the idea of work-life balance. I will work, work, and keep on working."

What lies ahead

The new LDP leader faces a difficult task. For the first time in decades, the party has lost its majority in parliament, and Takaichi will need to form a coalition to secure parliamentary approval for her appointment as prime minister.

Among the challenges ahead are rising prices, stagnant wages, and a demographic crisis. Additionally, Takaichi will need to build a relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump, who is planning a visit to the region this month.

Despite her conservative views, Takaichi embodies change for Japanese politics, where women still hold only about 15% of seats in the lower house of parliament. A rock band drummer becoming a potential prime minister — this is a story Japan has never told before.

Her term will last two years until September 2027, completing the remainder of Ishiba's original three-year tenure after he stepped down.

Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported that Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. would require its employees to take at least one month's paternity leave in principle from October to encourage participation in childcare and improve the working environment.