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JapanPresident of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Sanae Takaichi On Tuesday, history was created by electing the country’s first woman Prime Minister.
His victory was largely ensured by the coalition agreement between the LDP and the right-wing Japan The Innovation Party (Ishin) gave him the parliamentary support he needed to avoid a runoff.
Ms Takaichi secured her place as Japan’s 104th prime minister by securing 237 votes in the 465-seat lower house. He was later approved by the Upper House and took oath on Tuesday afternoon.
Ms Takachi, 64, a former economic security and internal affairs minister for nearly 30 years in the lower house, is often described as “ultra-conservative” and has previously said Britain’s divisive figure, the late Margaret Thatcher, is her political hero.
“My goal is to become the Iron Lady,” she said recently.
Ms. Takachi is skeptical of foreign influence and takes a hardline stance on immigration, national defense and traditional family values. Here is a list of public statements he has made over the years on a variety of issues:
On work-life balance:
Ms Takaichi urged party members to “work like workhorses” in a speech last month and asked them to abandon “work-life balance”.
After winning the party leadership race, she said in her victory speech: “I will work, work, work, work and work.” He also called on LDP lawmakers to “act like horses.”
Former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said at the time: “As she clearly stated that she would eliminate her work-life balance, I can’t help but wonder if this is okay. But I believe this is an expression of her determination.”
A Japanese advocacy group addressing overwork-related deaths in Japan, called Karoshi, criticized his stance on work-life balance. The National Defense Council for the Victims of Karoshi said their stance could put pressure on workers, including government employees, to work more and revive old work cultures. Families of victims of overwork-related suicides also condemned his comments, calling for consideration and an apology.
On tourists:
During her campaign speech, Ms. Takachi criticized the behavior of some foreign visitors towards Nara’s deer, saying: “There are disrespectful people who kick them with their feet.”
He added: “If tourists come from abroad and deliberately damage things that are dear to the Japanese people, it means something has gone too far.”
He also cited tourists hanging out of torii gates – traditional Japanese gates usually found at the entrance to a Shinto shrine – saying: “If foreigners enjoy crushing the Japanese, something must be done.”
Emphasizing her personal connection, she said: “As a woman from Nara, I cannot help but care for the more than 1,460 deer that live in Nara Park.”
However, she did not provide evidence of examples of inappropriate tourist behaviour. Ms Takaichi first raised concerns about the deer being kicked while discussing her policy on addressing crimes and misconduct by foreign visitors to Japan. Nara Park is a deer park where wild deer, which are considered sacred to the Japanese, roam freely. These are preserved as national treasures.
On immigration:
Ms Takaichi had previously said the rising number of foreigners in Japan was “stressful”.
He acknowledged that although tourists are welcome and Japan’s aging population needs foreign workers, “immigration in a hurry would create a hostile environment within Japanese society”.
She previously said, “I am going to review the policy so that we can live in peace with foreigners.”
On the role of women:
Ms. Takachi has consistently opposed allowing married women to retain their maiden names, arguing that it undermines traditional values.
However, she promised to form a cabinet with “Nordic-level” gender equality – a dramatic change from the outgoing prime minister, whose cabinet included just two women.
However, surveys indicate that their socially conservative stances align more strongly with men than women.
“Our cabinet and the (LDP) executive committee will include women to an extent that will be comparable to the Nordic countries,” the 64-year-old said.
She previously said, “I will not appoint women just because they are women.” “But the plan is to elect more women who are capable and willing to serve the country.”
Women remain underrepresented in Japan’s politics and corporate leadership, with the country ranked 118th out of 148 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Gender Gap Report – far behind Nordic countries like Iceland, Finland and Norway, which ranked in the top three.
Ms. Takaichi strongly opposes gay marriage and changing a 19th-century law that forces married couples to share a surname; She also supports male-only royal succession.
Although Ms. Takachi has proposed initiatives such as building women’s health centers across the country, polls show that her broadly conservative positions have alienated some female voters. “She seems to be popular not because of her gender but in spite of it,” Tina Buret, a political expert at Sophia University, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
On Japan’s wartime history:
in 2013, Sanae TakaichiThe then-head of the LDP’s policy-research council urged Shinzo Abe to reconsider past wartime amnesties and expand Japan’s regional presence.
according to a wall street journal In the report, they said Abe should issue a statement that would walk back some past apologies for wartime actions and “protect the honor and glory” of the nation.
Ms. Takaichi then said in an interview, “More than anything, I look forward to the creation of a new ‘Abe statement’ that will replace the Murayama statement.”
He said Japan should not apologize for matters already covered by international treaties and urged then-Prime Minister Abe to issue a new statement “as soon as possible”.
On his visit to the controversial wartime temple:
Ms Takachi had previously called on Japan’s leaders to make an annual visit to Yasukuni Shrine, which honors the country’s war dead, including World War II leaders convicted as war criminals – visits that had previously been strongly opposed by China and South Korea.
“I would be happy if all cabinet members visit the temple,” he had earlier said.
However, this year, he avoided visiting Yasakuni Shrine.
On Economy:
Japan is struggling with rising inflation and stagnant wages – key issues the new prime minister has promised to tackle.
Consumer prices are set to rise between 2.5 percent and 3 percent, above the Bank of Japan’s 2 percent target, while wages are expected to surpass 1997 levels for the first time in 2024.
A prolonged period of low interest rates in the country has also weakened the yen, worsening inflation by making imports more expensive.
“I want to focus first on tackling rising consumer prices,” Ms Takaichi told reporters after winning the party leadership. To help revive the Japanese economy, he proposed “responsible, aggressive, and intelligent spending.”
The media is:
In 2016, then-Interior Minister Takachi warned that the government had the right to suspend broadcasters it deemed biased in their reporting.
“I do not think that I myself would resort to such measures. But there is no guarantee that a future Minister of Internal Affairs would not do so.” Ms. Takaichi said.
On the last neo-Nazi ‘union’:
In 2014, Ms. Takachi was photographed with Kazunari Yamada, the leader of Japan’s neo-Nazi National Socialist Japanese Workers’ Party, in a photo that was later posted on the group’s website.
The photo shows a smiling Takachi and Yamada standing in front of a Japanese flag.
Mr Yamada has praised Adolf Hitler and the September 11 attacks, denied genocide, and claimed that post-war Germany is “no different from North Korea”.
Ms Takaichi’s office confirmed that she had met Mr Yamada “for a conversation” in 2011 and that the photos were genuine, but insisted they were unaware of his extremist background.
,[He] One was the interviewer’s assistant and was taking notes and photographs,” a member of Ms Takachi’s staff told AFP at the time. ”We didn’t know who he was, but he requested a snap shot with him. [She] Such requests would not have been rejected.”
“It was our negligence,” the staff member said. He also said that Ms Takachi did not share Mr Yamada’s views “at all… This is a nuisance”.