Japan’s ruling Party elects first female leader
(VOVWORLD) - Veteran politician Sanae Takaichi was elected the new president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) after two rounds of voting at party headquarters. With this result, she has become the first female leader of the LDP.
 Newly-elected Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leader Sanae Takaichi celebrates after winning the LDP leadership election in Tokyo, Japan, October 4, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon |
The LDP, which has governed Japan for most of the postwar era, lost its parliamentary majority under Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. However, the party’s leader is still expected to become prime minister, given that the LDP remains the largest group in parliament. This means Sanae Takaichi could become Japan’s first-ever female prime minister.
Takaichi, 64, a former Economic Security and Internal Affairs Minister, has long been considered a top contender for the post, enjoying strong grassroots support within the party as she campaigned to break the political glass ceiling.
She is known as a staunch advocate of bold fiscal and monetary stimulus. Observers note that Takaichi’s platform is among the most ambitious, with a pledge to double the size of Japan’s economy within a decade through massive state investment in new technologies, infrastructure, food production, and economic security.