Takaichi consolidates power as Japan's first female prime minister with historic election win
TOKYO — Sanae Takaichi became Japan’s first female prime minister in October 2025, taking office after her landmark election as the first woman to lead the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
A staunch conservative, Takaichi rose to prominence as a close ally of the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Her ascension immediately reshaped the nation's political landscape, triggering the collapse of the LDP's long-standing alliance with the Komeito party.
Takaichi moved quickly to stabilize her government by forming a new ruling coalition with the Japan Innovation Party.
In the 2026 Lower House elections, Takaichi led the LDP to a historic victory. The new governing alliance secured a supermajority, capturing approximately three-quarters of the seats in the chamber.
The administration has prioritized several key initiatives, including tackling inflation, reforming the social security system, and pursuing constitutional amendments. To support these goals, the government is planning a stimulus package worth 13.9 trillion yen (approximately $92.19 billion).
Saigon Sentinel Analysis
Sanae Takaichi’s ascension to the premiership marks more than a demographic milestone as Japan’s first female leader; it represents a decisive consolidation of the Liberal Democratic Party’s nationalist wing and a formalization of the late Shinzo Abe’s political legacy. Her victory signals a fundamental pivot in the country's domestic and ideological trajectory.
The collapse of the long-standing LDP-Komeito coalition and the subsequent formation of a new alliance with the Japan Innovation Party (Ishin) has produced a government with rare ideological cohesion, particularly regarding national security and constitutional reform. Following a landslide victory in the 2026 general election, Takaichi now commands a formidable three-quarters supermajority in the Lower House. This historic mandate provides her with the political capital necessary to advance high-stakes initiatives that were once considered politically untouchable, most notably the revision of Article 9 in Japan’s pacifist constitution.
On the regional stage, Takaichi’s leadership heralds a more assertive Japan. While her hawkish posture may exacerbate diplomatic frictions with Beijing and Seoul, it is expected to fundamentally strengthen the security alliance with the United States. For Southeast Asian nations, including Vietnam, an emboldened Japan under Takaichi serves as a critical strategic counterweight to China’s expanding footprint in the South China Sea. This shift promises a period of deepened security ties and more robust economic cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.