Former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi emerged victorious in the Liberal Democratic Party leadership contest Saturday, putting her on course to become Japan’s first female prime minister and providing her with an unprecedented opportunity to redefine the country’s international standing.
With U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Japan in late October and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in South Korea immediately afterward, Takaichi’s arrival on the international scene could not have come at a more crucial time. She will soon face several key diplomatic tests.
First, will be the summit with Trump, who could demand that Japan increase its defense spending or attempt to strike up a friendship with Takaichi as the protege of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, with whom he had a good relationship.
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