Sanae Takaichi to ‘Bring Shinzo Abe Firmness’ Back in Japan
Sanae Takaichi is set to become Japan's first female Prime Minister (Image X.com)
Conservative leader and former metal drummer Sanae Takaichi’s rise in Japan signals a return to Shinzo Abe era with focus on economic security and defence growth.
By TRH Global Affairs Desk
New Delhi, October 5, 2025 — In a historic and unexpected turn, Sanae Takaichi, a conservative ally of the late Shinzo Abe, won the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership on Friday, paving the way for her to become Japan’s first female Prime Minister.
Takaichi’s victory marks a dramatic turnaround from early lawmaker polls, which placed her third. In a surprise surge during the second round, she secured resounding support, overturning expectations and reflecting voter sentiment that had consistently favoured her candidacy.
“Nobody expected this reversal,” Nicholas Smith, Japan strategist, wrote on LinkedIn. “Japan got the LDP head that polls showed voters wanted: Takaichi Sanae. That’s very different from what polls of lawmakers said.”
Smith added that while markets may initially speculate that Takaichi will pressure the Bank of Japan (BoJ) to avoid rate hikes, her recent statements suggest otherwise. “Under the BoJ Law of 1997, the bank has independence,” he wrote, noting that Takaichi has publicly stated she will not seek to influence BoJ policy. “If the yen weakens on her victory, it will be mistaken—so ultimately have to reverse,” he argued.
Edo Naito, a Japanese political commentator, praised her deep understanding of “economic development and economic security,” predicting that she will “use the levers she has as PM to push hard in that area,” including defence infrastructure as a driver of growth.
Economist Gustino DeMarco highlighted another challenge awaiting Takaichi: Japan’s structural food inflation. “While monetary policy can address imported inflation, domestic agricultural reform offers a more sustainable path,” he said, emphasizing the potential of Japan’s rice farming sector and the growing influence of tourism and foreign residents as consumers of Japanese produce.
Takaichi, known for her hawkish policy stance and close ideological alignment with Abe’s vision of a strong Japan, is also breaking cultural moulds. “Sanae Takaichi is set to become Japan’s first female Prime Minister—but also arguably its first metal prime minister,” journalist Patrick St. Michel quipped on X, noting her college days as a drummer in a heavy metal band.
As Japan turns a new page in leadership, Takaichi faces the dual challenge of balancing economic resilience with a shifting geopolitical landscape—while embodying a generational and cultural change in Japan’s conservative politics.
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