Japan’s Takaichi set to become country’s first female PM

October 4, 2025 12:15 PM

Japan’s Takaichi set to become country’s first female PM

Japan's ruling party picked conservative nationalist Sanae Takaichi as its new head on Saturday, putting her on course to become the country's first female prime minister. The Liberal Democratic Party elected Takaichi, 64, to regain trust from a public angered by rising prices and drawn to opposition groups promising big stimulus and clampdowns on foreigners. A vote in parliament to choose a prime minister to replace Shigeru Ishiba is expected to be held on October 15. PARTY IN CRISIS The ne...

Japan’s next leader may be its first woman or youngest in modern era

October 3, 2025 12:11 PM

Japan’s next leader may be its first woman or youngest in modern era

Japan stands a good chance of having its first woman prime minister or its youngest leader in the modern era after a vote on Saturday to pick the head of the nation’s ruling party. The front-runners in the potentially historic Liberal Democratic Party election are conservative nationalist Sanae Takaichi, 64, and her more moderate rival Shinjiro Koizumi, 44. Opinion polls suggest Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, 64, may also be a contender. They are among five candidates vying to replace ...

Veteran lawmaker Ishiba set to become Japan PM

September 27, 2024 1:03 PM

Veteran lawmaker Ishiba set to become Japan PM

Former Defence Minister Shigeru Ishiba was set on Friday to become Japan's next prime minister after winning a closely fought contest in his fifth and final attempt to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. The 67-year-old prevailed over hardline nationalist Sanae Takaichi in a run-off vote in what was one of the most unpredictable leadership elections in decades with a record nine candidates in the field. The leader of the LDP, which has ruled Japan for almost all of the post-war era, is e...