by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
TOKYO (Worthy News) – Japan on Tuesday elected Sanae Takaichi as its first female prime minister, marking a historic political shift in the world’s third-largest economy.
The 64-year-old conservative leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) secured a parliamentary majority after striking a fragile deal with the opposition Japan Innovation Party (Ishin), according to official results.
Takaichi succeeded Shigeru Ishiba, who resigned after just over a year in office, ending weeks of political uncertainty in Tokyo.
Born in Nara, western Japan, Takaichi has long been known for her nationalist views and admiration of former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
ECONOMY, DEFENSE, AND MIGRATION
Her priorities, she said, will be to “make the Japanese economy stronger and remake Japan into a country capable of fulfilling its responsibilities to future generations.”
Takaichi has pledged to tackle rising prices, raise Japan’s defense budget, tighten immigration policies, and pursue diplomacy centered on closer ties with the United States.
While her election represents a breakthrough for women in Japanese politics, critical analysts note that her socially conservative record makes major progress on gender equality or civil rights reforms unlikely.
Her government’s stability remains uncertain amid economic challenges, demographic decline, and pressure to balance fiscal restraint with defense spending.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
Several people were detained for trying to interrupt a pro-Israel demonstration at Dam Square in Amsterdam attended by around 2,000 people, police and organizers said.
Five Iranian Christians have been sentenced to a combined 55 years in prison amid a broader crackdown on devout Christian believers in Iran, a strict Islamic nation, sources told Worthy News Thursday.
Egyptian Christians facing religious-based violence and discrimination are increasingly relying on underground safe houses as authorities continue to fall short on protecting minority rights, Christian advocates say.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced plans Tuesday to overhaul the U.S. military’s Chaplain Corps, arguing the institution has drifted from its original mission and lost the “faith and virtue” that defined it when it was established under George Washington more than 250 years ago.
The United States has approved $11.1 billion in new arms-sales packages for Taiwan, signaling continued security support for the island even as President Donald Trump’s administration emphasizes trade and economic engagement with China, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation late Wednesday night that would criminalize gender transition treatments for minors, marking a significant victory for conservatives who argue the federal government must step in to protect children from irreversible medical procedures.
The U.S. House passed the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act in a party line, 216-211, vote Wednesday, sending the bill to its likely demise in the Senate.