Sanae Takaichi

From Nara to Nagatachō – Japan's first female prime minister

⚒️ A historic first with an unusual background: Sanae Takaichi became Japan's first female prime minister yesterday. She is considered unwavering and determined and is often described as the ‘Iron Lady’. Her mother was a police officer, and her father worked for Toyota. Before her political career, she worked as a presenter for the Japanese TV station Asahi and lived in the USA. The 64-year-old is a heavy metal fan.

🤯 Political chaos: After heavy election losses, her party, the LDP, lost its previous coalition partner, Komeito, and was threatened with a loss of power. Takaichi first won the party leadership, forged an alliance with the right-wing liberal Japan Innovation Party Ishin, and then secured the necessary votes in parliament.

💹 From Abenomics to ‘Sanaenomics’: Her motto is growth instead of austerity. The goal is healthy 2% inflation from higher salaries, not from expensive imports. In addition: fiscal aid for households, strategic investments in the future, including energy, chips and security, as well as close coordination with the Bank of Japan instead of harsh interest rate hikes.

🚧 Her challenges: Include prices weighing on households, demographics slowing down, and trade suffering – and now she must build majorities in a divided parliament. In foreign policy, she is taking a tougher line (China/North Korea), but at the same time has to keep relations with the US under Trump stable.