Sanae Takaichi secured victory in the leadership election for the Liberal Democratic party (LDP), beating moderate rival Shinjiro Koizumi in a runoff vote.
The victory for the 64-year-old right-wing politician, who has been described as a foreign policy hawk and an admirer of Margaret Thatcher, is expected to lead to her installation as the country's new prime minister around October 15.
Takaichi, a former TV host and heavy metal drummer, acknowledged the 'real challenges lie ahead' in uniting the LDP and winning back public support following a funding scandal and poor election results.
Her immediate tasks include addressing the cost of living crisis, uniting the party, and navigating a volatile East Asia security environment, including the growing loose coalition of China, Russia, and North Korea.
Takaichi’s win is a landmark moment in a country with a poor global ranking for gender equality, although she herself has opposed policies aimed at gender advancement, such as allowing women to become reigning empresses.
She won the runoff after securing a greater share of the lawmakers’ votes, despite her rival Koizumi being considered more popular among them.
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Rightwing politician Sanae Takaichi has won the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election, making her set to become Japan’s first female leader.
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