In a historic vote, Japan’s Parliament on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, elected the ultraconservative Sanae Takaichi as the country’s first-ever female Prime Minister. This groundbreaking appointment comes just a day after her party, facing considerable challenges, secured a crucial coalition agreement with a new partner, a move expected to steer her governing bloc further to the right.
Ms. Takaichi’s ascension brings an end to a three-month period of political uncertainty and intense wrangling, which began following the Liberal Democratic Party’s significant losses in the July elections. She takes over from Shigeru Ishiba, who resigned earlier the same day along with his Cabinet, having served only a year in office.
In the lower house vote, which determines the Prime Minister, Ms. Takaichi secured 237 votes, surpassing the required majority by four. Her closest challenger, Yoshikoko Noda, leader of the largest opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, received 149 votes. Upon the announcement of the results, a visibly emotional Ms. Takaichi rose and offered a deep bow.
Her premiership was secured by the LDP’s alliance with the Osaka-based right-wing Japan Innovation Party, or Ishin no Kai, a partnership made possible by the fragmented nature of the opposition. However, this untested alliance still falls short of a majority in both houses of parliament. This means Ms. Takaichi will need to actively seek cooperation from other opposition groups to pass legislation, introducing a degree of instability and potentially shortening her government’s tenure.
During Monday’s signing ceremony with JIP leader and Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura, Ms. Takaichi emphasized the critical need for stability. “Political stability is essential right now,” she stated. “Without stability, we cannot push measures for a strong economy or diplomacy.” The coalition agreement between the two parties explicitly outlines policies reflecting Ms. Takaichi’s well-known hawkish and nationalistic viewpoints.
This last-minute deal was struck after the Liberal Democrats saw their long-standing partner, the Buddhist-backed Komeito, a party with more dovish and centrist leanings, withdraw from the coalition. This separation had initially posed a significant threat to the LDP’s hold on power, a party that has governed Japan almost continuously for decades.
Later on the day of her election, Ms. Takaichi, 64, is expected to unveil her Cabinet. It is anticipated to include several allies of Taro Aso, the LDP’s influential kingmaker, as well as others who supported her during the party leadership vote.
Yoshimura confirmed that the Japan Innovation Party would not immediately take up ministerial positions in Ms. Takaichi’s Cabinet, opting to wait until the party feels fully confident in its partnership with the LDP.
Ms. Takaichi faces immediate pressure, with a major policy speech scheduled for later in the week, and upcoming talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, in addition to various regional summits. Her agenda includes promptly addressing rising inflation and formulating economy-boosting measures by late December to alleviate public discontent.
Despite her historic role as Japan’s first female Prime Minister, Ms. Takaichi has not prioritized the promotion of gender equality or diversity.
Indeed, Ms. Takaichi has been a notable figure among Japanese politicians who have actively resisted measures aimed at advancing women’s rights. She staunchly supports the imperial family’s male-only succession tradition and openly opposes both same-sex marriage and the option for married couples to retain separate surnames.
A political protégé of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Ms. Takaichi is widely expected to pursue policies mirroring his, including strengthening the military and economy, and potentially revising Japan’s pacifist constitution. Given her potentially precarious grip on power within the new coalition, the extent to which she can implement these ambitious goals remains to be seen.
Komeito’s departure from the governing coalition was largely attributed to the LDP’s perceived weak handling of recent slush fund scandals, which contributed to their consecutive election defeats.
The centrist party also voiced significant concerns regarding Ms. Takaichi’s revisionist interpretations of Japan’s wartime history and her consistent visits to Yasukuni Shrine. These visits have drawn strong criticism from Beijing and Seoul, who view them as a lack of contrition for Japanese wartime aggression, compounded by her recent xenophobic remarks.
In a gesture to temper her more hawkish image, Ms. Takaichi has recently softened her rhetoric. On Friday, October 17, 2025, she notably sent a religious offering to Yasukuni Shrine instead of making a personal visit.