Tokyo: Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi as its new party president, defeating Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in a closely contested race. With this victory, Takaichi is poised to become Japan’s first female prime minister, pending the parliamentary vote scheduled for next week, where the LDP-Komeito coalition holds a clear majority.
In the first round of voting, Takaichi secured 183 votes compared to Koizumi’s 164. Since no candidate achieved an outright majority, a second-round runoff was held, which Takaichi won. The election involved votes from LDP lawmakers as well as nearly one million registered party members. Five candidates contested the leadership, including two current ministers and three former ministers, with Takaichi, Koizumi, and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi considered front-runners.
Takaichi represents the LDP’s ultra-conservative faction. If she secures a parliamentary majority in mid-October, she will make history as Japan’s first female prime minister. Her opponent Koizumi, had he won, would have become the youngest prime minister in over a century.
Current Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba resigned in September, taking responsibility for the party’s historic defeat in the July parliamentary elections. Ishiba had assumed office in October 2024 but stepped down after growing dissatisfaction within the party following the loss of the coalition majority in both houses of parliament.
Political analysts note that candidates largely avoided divisive social issues such as gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, and historical controversies. Instead, their campaigns focused on controlling inflation, raising wages, strengthening defense and the economy, and stricter policies on foreign labor.
Takaichi’s immediate challenge will include potential high-level talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, focusing on sensitive issues such as defense spending, ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled in South Korea later this month.
