The Nation's First Woman Prime Minister: An Unprecedented Event with Caveats

To numerous female youth in Japan today, the sight of Sanae Takaichi assuming leadership as the country's first ever female leader is impactful and influential.

This signifies a patriarchal society and a government structure that has historically been controlled by men is now led by a woman.

However, although the appearances speak of a progressive moment, some women do not view her as an champion of progress.

It was rather fascinating to observe how individuals outside Japan have reacted to the announcement,” a 21-year-old says.

People are saying, ‘wow, she's the first female prime minister in the nation's past and that would be a great opportunity for female advancement and equal rights in Japan’.

“I think that's a rather simplistic view.”

Instead, Ms Ogura points to her “ideological stance and what she represents,” noting: “She reinforces the male-dominated structure.”

A strong admirer of Britain's first female prime minister, Sanae Takaichi has long aspired to be the “Steel Magnolia” of her nation.

Similar to Thatcher, Takaichi is a firm right-wing politician.

Analysts note her leadership is a tactical move from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to attract the increasingly right-leaning supporters which had lately shifted towards Japan's more extreme conservative groups.

Takaichi opposes same-sex marriage and has consistently voted against legislation that would allow spouses to have separate surnames, blocking many women from keeping their birth surnames.

Additionally, she is opposed to women being in line for succession in the imperial family.

However, she did soften certain her messaging during her election bid – stating she supports giving financial benefits to companies that provide daycare services to their staff and spoke of potential deductions for families investing in childcare.

Yet she has historically supported the idea of a more traditional role for women in society and in the family.

When it comes to women's issues, Takaichi is aligned with her nation's less than impressive record on gender issues.

The Country's Inequality in Perspective

Women in Japan are some of the best educated and most skilled in the globe and yet they face challenges with the expectations of a traditional culture that still pushes them into traditional roles.

According to the 2025 gender gap index by the global organization, Japan ranked 118th among 148 nations, with women's presence in the field of politics notably low.

Top roles have historically been held by men and Japan has struggled to boost the quantity of women legislators and business leaders.

The globally fourth biggest economy ranks last among the Group of Seven nations when it comes to the share of women in its national parliament. Specifically, women make up about 15.7% of lawmakers in Japan, the lowest figure among the G7.

It is even slow when it comes to female healthcare: recently was it revealed that the “emergency” pill – a type of emergency contraception available without prescription in more than 90 countries – had at last been authorized for non-prescription sales in Japan.

Mixed Responses to the Landmark Leadership

Even so, certain individuals view Takaichi's ascent as a pivotal moment that could change how women perceive their opportunities.

“There is great significance in Ms Takaichi assuming the role of prime minister, with a wider influence on the public,” a former mayor – who became the nation's most youthful woman city leader in 2012 – informed local media.

Koshi argued Japan having a woman prime minister will “reduce mental obstacles” for females of all ages, enabling them to believe it is normal to “stand out” as leaders in businesses and the community, despite biased expectations and norms still remain.

But Audrey Hill-Uekawa points out that, while it is notable Japan has its inaugural woman prime minister, one must remember it took her over three decades to get to that office.

“She's also not truly challenging the norm. She expresses the same thing as the men.”

Ms Hill-Uekawa further states that she shouldn't be put on a pedestal just due to the fact she is a female.

“It is essential to make sure we're discussing her policies. We need to be able to evaluate her fairly as everyone else.”

Political Background and Influences

It is not just what Takaichi has said which has caused individuals to describe her as a supporter of the male-dominated system.

It's also apparent by which individuals her supporters within the LDP have been.

She's the protégé of the late former hawkish prime minister a previous leader, and was backed in the leadership election by a senior politician – a prominent member in the LDP at the head of one of the government's most powerful right-wing factions.

His faction's backing for Sanae Takaichi was pivotal in uniting the conservative wing in her favor.

“I believe that it is challenging for females to somewhat identify with her achievement because it promotes this notion that we have to be compliant with the status quo,” 21-year-old a citizen says.

The 21-year-old concurs, saying that with her as a symbol for females in government, “people are going to expect the same from us as too”.

“They're going to expect women to be compliant, not go against the beliefs that they have, and it might make our role more difficult.”

Upcoming Challenges and Expectations

Making history, however, was just the first of the difficulties Takaichi will face – not least addressing a slow growth and inflation and regaining the confidence of a discontented and irate voting public, as in addition to hosting president Trump within a short time of assuming office.

It's safe to say that few anticipate gender equality issues to be a top priority on her priority list.