Opposing same-sex marriage to backing ‘Abenomics’: 5 facts about Japan’s first probable woman Prime Miner | World News

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) elected Sanae Takaichi as its new leader on Saturday (October 4), paving the way for the 64-year-old to follow in the footsteps of her idol, former British Prime Miner Margaret Thatcher.   
The conservative lawmaker defeated centr rival Shinjiro Koizumi in a runoff vote held at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo. The lower house of Japan’s Parliament is expected to confirm her as prime miner in a leadership vote scheduled for mid-October.  
Takaichi will succeed outgoing Prime Miner Shigeru Ishiba, who announced his decision to step down last month after less than a year in office, amid growing pressure from within the LDP, which has lost its majority in both chambers of the Diet.
Here are 5 key things to know about her:
01She’s set to become Japan’s first female prime minerSanae Takaichi, 64, has been elected leader of Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), paving the way for her to become the country’s first woman prime miner. A veteran lawmaker representing Nara’s No. 2 constituency, she has spent more than 30 years in parliament and held key posts, including economic security miner from 2022 to 2024. She also served multiple terms as internal affairs miner, the longest in Japan’s hory, according to The Japan Times.
02A follower of Shinzo Abe and admirer of Margaret ThatcherTakaichi is a close ally of the late former prime miner Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in 2022. Her political philosophy mirrors his, blending nationalism, conservative social values, and fiscal expansion. She has often cited Margaret Thatcher as her inspiration, with her campaign slogan “Japan is back!” 
03She represents Japan’s conservative rightTakaichi’s victory marks a shift to the right for the LDP after the more moderate tenure of outgoing Prime Miner Shigeru Ishiba. She is a member of Nippon Kaigi, Japan’s largest ultranational lob group, and advocates revising Article 9 of Japan’s pacif constitution, which renounces war. She is also a frequent visitor to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours Japan’s war dead, including convicted war criminals.
04She’s socially conservative but fiscally aggressiveTakaichi opposes same-sex marriage and allowing married couples to retain separate surnames, arguing such changes would undermine traditional family values, BBC reported. She has also resed allowing imperial succession through the maternal line. However, she supports high government spending and easy borrowing to revive Japan’s stagnant economy, a continuation of Abe’s “Abenomics”. She has criticised the Bank of Japan’s interest rate hikes, saying they threaten growth.
05She faces big political and diplomatic challengesTakaichi will inherit a weakened LDP that has lost its majority in both houses of parliament. She has called herself a “moderate conservative” and said she wants to expand the ruling coalition to pass key legislation. On the foreign policy front, she is expected to strengthen Japan’s security ties, including with Taiwan, while also managing relations with China and the US. According to The Japan Times, Tokyo and Washington are already planning a meeting between her and US President Donald Trump later this month.