Inspired by Thatcher, Sanae Takaichi Becomes Japan’s First Female Prime Minister

Japan’s parliament on Tuesday elected Sanae Takaichi, a staunch conservative, as the country’s first female prime minister — a historic moment that came after weeks of political maneuvering and a leadership style often compared to her idol, the late British leader Margaret Thatcher.

After defeating a field of male contenders to win the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership on October 5, Takaichi faced the challenge of consolidating support within her party following the collapse of its 26-year coalition with a more moderate partner.

Political analysts say attention now turns to her big-spending economic agenda, which could unsettle investor confidence in one of the world’s most heavily indebted economies, and her nationalist views, which risk heightening tensions with powerful neighbor China.

A ‘Thatcherite’ with an Economic Twist

The 64-year-old Takaichi, who narrowly lost last year’s LDP leadership runoff, will also have to prepare for the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump, expected in Japan next week.

A former minister for economic security and internal affairs, Takaichi has frequently cited Thatcher as her role model, praising her for her strength, conviction, and “womanly compassion.” She once met the “Iron Lady” at a symposium shortly before Thatcher’s death in 2013 — an encounter she often recalls as a personal inspiration.

Like Thatcher, Takaichi’s modest upbringing — her mother was a police officer and her father worked for an automobile company — stands out in a party dominated by leaders from elite political families.

Unlike her British counterpart, however, Takaichi supports fiscal expansion and loose monetary policy, positions that have rattled investors worried about Japan’s mounting debt. A long-time backer of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s “Abenomics” stimulus program, she has advocated greater government spending, tax cuts, and restoring political influence over the Bank of Japan.

A Nationalist Firebrand

Takaichi regularly visits Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan’s war dead — including convicted war criminals — and is viewed by many Asian neighbors as a symbol of Japan’s past militarism.

She has called for revisions to Japan’s postwar pacifist constitution and recently suggested that Japan form a “quasi-security alliance” with Taiwan, the self-governed island China claims as its own.

Although she has pledged to increase the number of female cabinet ministers, an area where Japan lags far behind its G7 peers, polls indicate that her conservative social views resonate more with male voters.

Takaichi opposes same-sex marriage and allowing married couples to use separate surnames—positions widely unpopular among the general public but supported within Japan’s conservative circles.

The Softer Side of a Hardliner

During her campaign, Takaichi vowed to crack down on rule-breaking foreigners, a stance that appealed to some voters amid record levels of immigration and tourism. In one speech, she referenced her hometown of Nara, recounting an incident where tourists had kicked the city’s sacred deer — a metaphor for protecting Japan’s traditions and values.

Yet those who know her personally describe a warmer, more empathetic side.

Her former hairdresser, Yukitoshi Arai, told Reuters that even her trademark hairstyle — dubbed the “Sanae cut” — is designed to signal attentiveness.

“It’s sleek, sharp, and stylish,” Arai said. “She keeps the sides long but tucks them behind her ears to show that she’s listening carefully to others.”

According to her official website, Takaichi holds a business management degree from Kobe University and previously worked as a Congressional Fellow in the U.S. Congress.

She entered politics in 1993 as an independent, winning a seat in Japan’s Lower House, before joining the Liberal Democratic Party in 1996.

Now, as Japan’s first woman to hold the nation’s top office, Sanae Takaichi faces the task of balancing her hardline conservative vision with the demands of a changing Japan — and a world watching closely.