🔗 Share this article

To numerous female youth in Japan today, the sight of Sanae Takaichi assuming leadership as the country's first ever female prime minister is impactful and formative.

It means a male-oriented culture and a government structure that has long been dominated by men is currently headed by a woman.

However, although the appearances speak of a progressive moment, certain females don't see her as an advocate for change.

It was rather interesting to see how people beyond Japan's borders have responded to the news,” Ayda Ogura states.

“Everyone's like, ‘wow, she's the first female prime minister in the nation's past and that would be a great opportunity for female advancement and gender equality in Japan’.

“I think that's a rather simplistic interpretation.”

Conversely, the young woman highlights her “political beliefs and what she represents,” adding: “She perpetuates the patriarchal system.”

A strong admirer of Britain's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi has always wanted to be the “Steel Magnolia” of her nation.

And like Thatcher, Takaichi is a firm conservative.

Analysts note her leadership is a tactical move from the ruling LDP to attract the more conservative base which had recently gravitated towards Japan's more extreme conservative groups.

The leader is against marriage equality and has consistently voted against legislation that would allow married couples to have separate surnames, preventing many women from retaining their maiden names.

She's also opposed to females being in eligible for the throne in the imperial family.

However, she moderated some of her statements during her election bid – saying she supports giving financial benefits to companies that offer daycare services to their staff and spoke of possible deductions for families investing in child-rearing.

But she has over the years supported the notion of a conventional position for females in the community and in the family.

Regarding women's issues, Takaichi is aligned with her country's subpar performance on gender issues.

The Country's Inequality in Perspective

Japanese women are some of the best educated and highest qualified in the globe and yet they struggle with the demands of a traditional culture that still pushes them into conventional positions.

Based on the 2025 equality ranking by the World Economic Forum, Japan ranked 118th among nearly 150 countries, with women's presence in the field of politics particularly minimal.

Leadership positions have historically been held by men and Japan has faced difficulties to increase the quantity of women legislators and business leaders.

The globally fourth biggest economy places at the bottom among the G7 countries when it comes to the share of females in its legislative body. Specifically, women make up about 15.7% of legislators in Japan, the smallest proportion among the G7.

It is even slow when it comes to women's reproductive health: recently was it announced that the “morning after” pill – a type of emergency contraception sold over the counter in over ninety countries – had at last been authorized for non-prescription sales in Japan.

Differing Responses to the Historic Leadership

Nonetheless, certain individuals view Takaichi's ascent as a critical juncture that could change how females view their prospects.

“It is highly meaningful in Ms Takaichi assuming the role of prime minister, with a wider influence on the public,” a former mayor – who was elected as the country's youngest female mayor in 2012 – told Japan's Kyodo news agency.

Koshi argued Japan having a woman prime minister will “reduce mental obstacles” for females of all ages, enabling them to believe it is acceptable to “excel” as leaders in businesses and society, despite gender-based stereotypes and expectations still persist.

But Audrey Hill-Uekawa notes that, while it is remarkable Japan has its first female prime minister, one must remember it required her more than 30 years to get to that position.

“Additionally, she is not truly going against the grain. She expresses the identical views as the male politicians.”

The young woman further states that she shouldn't be put on a pedestal simply because she is a female.

“It is essential to ensure we're discussing her policies. We need to be able to criticise her equally as everyone else.”

Ideological Background and Associations

It is not only what Takaichi has said which has caused individuals to describe her as a supporter of the patriarchy.

It's also evident by who her supporters inside the party have been.

She's the protégé of the deceased former hawkish prime minister a previous leader, and was backed in the party vote by Taro Aso – a prominent member in the ruling party at the leadership of one of the government's most influential conservative blocs.

His faction's support for Sanae Takaichi was pivotal in uniting the party's right wing in her favor.

“I believe that it is difficult for women to sort of relate to her success because it furthers this notion that we must be compliant with the status quo,” 21-year-old Minori Konishi says.

The 21-year-old concurs, stating that with her as a figurehead for females in politics, “the public are going to expect the identical from women as well”.

“They will demand us to be conforming, not go against the beliefs that they have, and it could render our role harder.”

Upcoming Challenges and Anticipations

Making history, though, was just the first of the difficulties Takaichi will encounter – not least tackling a sluggish economy and rising prices and regaining the confidence of a discontented and irate voting public, as well as welcoming president Trump within a short time of taking power.

It's safe to say that few anticipate gender equality issues to be high on her priority list.