Right-wing conservative Sanae Takaichi has won a critical leadership vote despite male-dominated national politics<\/p>\n
Japan’s former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi has been elected head of the country’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and is poised to become its first-ever female prime minister.
\nSaturday\u2019s vote was held after Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced earlier this month that he would resign in order to prevent a split in the party. Under Ishiba, who has led the government for the past year, the LDP has lost its majority in both chambers of parliament.
\nTakaichi defeated Farm Minister Shinjiro Koizumi in a run-off after none of the five candidates secured a majority in the initial vote. She won the backing of 159 LDP members, beating her rival by 29 votes.
\n\u201dI am feeling how tough it is going to be from here on, rather than feeling happy,\u201d the 64-year-old said. \u201cI will scrap my work-life balance and work, and work, and work, and work.\u201d<\/p>\n
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She called for unity within the LDP, arguing that \u201cwe will not be able to rebuild the party if I do not get everyone\u2019s help, from all generations.\u201d
\nAn extraordinary session of the Japanese parliament to choose the new prime minister is expected in mid-October, with Takaichi likely to secure the post as the opposition has failed to rally behind a single candidate.
\nThe new LDP leader previously confessed to being a fan of the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, nicknamed \u2018The Iron Lady.\u2019 She said that she had been inspired by Thatcher\u2019s ability to combine strength of character with \u201cwomanly warmth.\u201d
\nTakaichi has always been on the party\u2019s right, advocating for a tougher stance on China and increased military spending.
\nShe has also criticized Russia over the Ukraine conflict, while claiming that the current authorities in Moscow should not be recognized as a partner in Second World War peace treaty talks with Tokyo.<\/p>\n
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However, Takaichi appeared to have softened her stance ahead of the LDP leadership vote, saying that she wants to be seen as \u201cmore of a moderate conservative now.\u201d She also called Beijing an \u201cimportant neighbor\u201d and stressed the need to strengthen bilateral ties.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Right-wing conservative Sanae Takaichi has won a critical leadership vote despite male-dominated national politics Japan’s former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi has been elected head of the country’s ruling Liberal…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":19689,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4,6,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19688","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economy","category-environment","category-politics"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t