Japan set to appoint its first female prime minister as Sanae Takaichi wins LDP leadership race

Former Internal Affairs Minister Sanae Takaichi has won Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election, becoming the party’s first female leader. Takaichi is now poised to make history as Japan’s first female prime minister in the upcoming parliamentary session.

Former Internal Affairs Minister Sanae Takaichi has won Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election, becoming the party’s first female leader.

Japan is on the verge of a political milestone as Sanae Takaichi, former Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, secured victory in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership election held on Thursday. Following the resignation of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, Takaichi’s win positions her to become the first woman ever to lead the Japanese government.

Contents hide

1 Takaichi becomes the first female leader of LDP

1.1 First female prime minister expected to take office this month

1.2 Ishiba’s resignation followed declining public support

Takaichi becomes the first female leader of LDP

The race for the party leadership saw five contenders: Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, former LDP Secretary General Toshimitsu Motegi, former Economic Security Minister Takayuki Kobayashi, and Sanae Takaichi herself.

A total of 295 LDP lawmakers and 295 local delegates cast their votes.

No candidate secured an outright majority in the first round, forcing a runoff between Takaichi, who earned 183 votes, and Koizumi, who received 164. In the decisive second round, Takaichi triumphed with 185 votes against Koizumi’s 156, marking a historic moment as the first woman to lead the LDP.

First female prime minister expected to take office this month

Takaichi’s leadership win clears the way for her formal appointment as Japan’s prime minister during a parliamentary session later this month.

Although the LDP and its coalition partner Komeito lost their majority in recent elections, analysts expect them to secure enough parliamentary backing — possibly with limited opposition support — to confirm Takaichi’s appointment.

Ishiba’s resignation followed declining public support

The leadership contest was triggered by the resignation of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who stepped down citing waning public confidence in the government.

The LDP and Komeito suffered consecutive election setbacks, losing control of both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors.

Amid mounting pressure and criticism over economic stagnation and internal party divisions, Ishiba announced his decision to resign last month, paving the way for new leadership within the party.