Japan’s ruling party elects Sanae Takaichi as new leader, set to become first female PM

Japan’s governing party on Saturday elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi as its new leader, making her likely to become the country’s first female prime minister.

In a country that ranks poorly internationally for gender equality, Takaichi would make history as the first female leader of Japan’s long-governing conservative Liberal Democratic Party. She is one of the most conservative members of the male-dominated party.

Takaichi beat Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, the son of popular former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, in a runoff in an intraparty vote by the LDP on Saturday.

Newly-elected leader of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) Sanae Takaichi, right, bows as she shakes hands with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba after winning the LDP leaders

Takaichi replaces Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba as the party hopes to regain public support and stay in power after major election losses.

She is likely to be Japan’s next prime minister because the party remains by far the largest in the lower house, which determines the national leader, and because opposition groups are highly splintered.

Saturday’s vote only involved 295 LDP parliamentarians and about 1 million dues-paying members. It only reflected 1% of the Japanese public.

A parliamentary vote is expected in mid-October. The LDP, which has been criticized by opposition leaders for creating a prolonged political vacuum, needs to hurry because the winner will soon face a diplomatic test: a possible summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, who could demand that Japan increase its defense spending.

A meeting is reportedly being planned for late October. Trump will travel to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea starting Oct. 31.

Quoted from Euronews.