Iron in the Fire: Takaichi Faces Her First Tests
By Marshall Reid
It has been an eventful autumn for Sanae Takaichi. The veteran politician was sworn in on October 21 as Japan’s 66th prime minister, the first woman to hold the position. Her inauguration capped off a tumultuous period in Japanese politics that began with the abrupt resignation of her predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba, followed by a contentious struggle for leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). But by tacking to the right of several rivals, Takaichi secured her position as Japan’s fourth prime minister in five years.
She has had little time to celebrate her victory. With a weakened party, a restless electorate and an increasingly challenging international environment, she has taken office at a precarious moment. She has also, in apparent recognition of the political urgency, embarked on a whirlwind series of engagements at home and abroad, including a high-profile meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump and calls with European leaders. Takaichi has made an energetic start but is still likely to face powerful headwinds. She could nevertheless prove to be a powerful ally for the United States and Europe if she can maintain a delicate political balance and accomplish her goal of expanding Japan’s international position.
Japan’s Iron Lady
Relatively unknown outside Japan until recently, Takaichi has had a long, prominent and occasionally controversial career in Japanese politics. She had a short stint in journalism before being elected to the House of Representatives as an independent in 1993, joined the LDP three years later, and steadily gained influence within the party, most notably by closely aligning herself with an ascendant Shinzo Abe. She had high-ranking roles during his first (2006-2007) and second (2012-2020) administrations, including minister of state for science and technology policy and minister of internal affairs and communications.
Takaichi has throughout her career consciously modeled her political identity on that of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Like Thatcher, Takaichi has styled herself as an uncompromising and hard-nosed politician, willing to fight fiercely for her positions in a male-dominated political system. This has led some to dub her Japan’s “Iron Lady”. Takaichi, also like Thatcher, has long been a divisive figure in Japanese politics. She drew frequent criticism while in the Abe cabinet for her close ties with far-right groups and alleged efforts to suppress criticism of government policy.
Ideologically, Takaichi has been described as “ultraconservative”, “far-right” and “ultranationalist”, characterizations that she has done little to deny. She has campaigned against efforts to allow married couples to have different surnames, helped play down Japanese involvement in World War II-era war crimes and strongly criticized her country’s immigration policy. These positions proved advantageous during the recent leadership contest, as the LDP sought to align itself more closely with an electorate that has shifted noticeably to the right.
Into the Fire
Takaichi’s tenure got off to a frenetic start that culminated in perhaps the most daunting of diplomatic challenges: a one-on-one meeting with Trump. As contentious tariff negotiations took place, Takaichi hosted the famously capricious president in Tokyo before traveling with him to the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka. She navigated the encounter successfully.
Takaichi seems to have watched Abe’s interactions with Trump carefully. Like her mentor, she lavished praise on the president, promising to nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize, and presented him with a series of golf-related gifts. Such deference earned her some domestic criticism, but it proved successful in winning over Trump. In remarks after the meeting, he described her as “a delight” and “a winner”, praise far beyond his standard descriptions of world leaders. The two also announced a series of bilateral agreements, including a technology-sharing arrangement, a critical-minerals deal and a joint investment fund.
The View from the West
Takaichi is by no means an isolationist despite her avowed nationalism. As her bonhomie with Trump made clear, she intends to strengthen Japan’s international ties. Again echoing Abe, she increasingly employs the slogan “Japan Is Back”, and vows to increase the country’s global presence and contribute to international collaborative efforts. This could present significant opportunities for the United States and Europe.
Takaichi’s early days have likely heartened many Western leaders. In just her first two weeks, she announced plans to spend more on national defense, joined a virtual meeting of the leaders of the Coalition of the Willing on Ukraine, held productive meetings with South Korean and Taiwanese officials and pledged to expand cooperation with Europe. These actions taken together reflect the seriousness of her vow to give Japan an active role in global affairs, often in ways that align with U.S. and European interests.
Takaichi’s future is still far from secure following national elections in 2024 and 2025 that resulted in drubbings for the LDP. Voters punished the party for a series of scandals and perceived weakness on social issues, leaving it at the helm a minority government, an intolerable situation for a party that for decades held full power.
The new prime minister is currently enjoying strong public approval, but the Japanese electorate has quickly soured on many of her predecessors. A fragile political position and a volatile international environment may limit her bid to follow in her mentor’s footsteps.