Japan is set to have its first-ever woman leader in Sanae Takaichi. She wants to become the country’s version of her idol, Margaret Thatcher. Some fear she might be its Liz Truss.
Having won the race to head the Liberal Democratic Party, she’s the presumptive next prime minister of Japan. But she faces one of the most challenging jobs in politics: reuniting a party in danger of crumbling, tackling voters’ dissatisfaction with inflation and managing a newly fractious relationship with its security guarantor, the U.S. No pressure.
The former newscaster, amateur metal drummer and motorcycle enthusiast would assume the prime ministerial role after 65 men preceded her. Japan is set to soar up the gender equality rankings. But if anyone expects this to lead to a more liberal nation, think again — Takaichi is comfortably the most conservative choice the party could have made, if not the most right-leaning leader in recent history.
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