Japan's First Female Leader: An Unprecedented Moment that Comes with Reservations

For many female youth in Japan currently, the image of Sanae Takaichi assuming leadership as the country's first ever woman leader is impactful and influential.

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

But while the appearances speak of a progressive moment, some women don't see her as an advocate for change.

“It was quite fascinating to observe how people outside Japan have reacted to the news,” Ayda Ogura states.

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 gender equality in Japan’.

“I think that's a very naive view.”

Instead, the young woman points to her “ideological stance and what she stands for,” noting: “She perpetuates the patriarchal system.”

A big fan of Margaret Thatcher, Sanae Takaichi has always wanted to be the “Steel Magnolia” of her nation.

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

Observers say her leadership is a tactical move from the governing LDP to attract the increasingly right-leaning base which had lately shifted towards Japan's more extreme conservative groups.

Takaichi opposes same-sex marriage and has consistently voted against laws that would permit married couples to have different last names, blocking many women from keeping their birth surnames.

She's also against females being in line for succession in the royal household.

Nonetheless, she moderated certain her messaging during her election bid – stating she supports giving tax incentives to companies that offer childcare facilities to their staff and spoke of potential tax breaks for households investing in child-rearing.

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

Regarding women's issues, Takaichi is aligned with her nation's less than impressive record on gender issues.

The Country's Inequality in Context

Japanese women are among the most highly educated and highest qualified in the world and yet they struggle with the expectations of a traditional culture that still directs them into traditional roles.

According to the 2025 equality ranking by the World Economic Forum, Japan placed 118th out of among nearly 150 countries, with female representation in the field of politics notably low.

Leadership positions have traditionally been dominated by men and Japan has struggled to boost the quantity of female lawmakers and corporate executives.

The world's fourth largest economic power places at the bottom among the G7 countries when it comes to the percentage of females in its national parliament. Specifically, females constitute about less than 16% of lawmakers in Japan, the smallest proportion among the G7.

Progress is also sluggish when it comes to female healthcare: only this week was it revealed that the “emergency” pill – a type of post-coital birth control available without prescription in more than 90 countries – had at last been authorized for over the counter use in Japan.

Mixed Responses to the Historic Appointment

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

“There is great significance in Ms Takaichi becoming prime minister, with a broader impact on the public,” a former mayor – who was elected as the nation's youngest female city leader in 2012 – informed local media.

Koshi argued Japan having a female prime minister will “reduce mental obstacles” for women and girls, helping them feel it is normal to “excel” as authorities in companies and society, even as gender-based stereotypes and expectations still persist.

But Audrey Hill-Uekawa notes that, while it is remarkable Japan has its inaugural woman prime minister, it is important to recall it took her more than 30 years to reach that office.

“She's also not truly challenging the norm. She's saying the identical views as the male politicians.”

Ms Hill-Uekawa adds that she shouldn't be put on a platform simply because she is a woman.

“It is essential to make sure we're talking about her policies. We must be able to criticise her fairly as everyone else.”

Ideological Background and Associations

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 who her supporters within the LDP have were.

She's the protégé of the late former conservative prime minister a previous leader, and was backed in the party vote by a senior politician – a prominent member in the ruling party at the leadership of one of the government's most influential conservative blocs.

Their group's backing for Sanae Takaichi was pivotal in uniting the party's right wing behind her.

“I believe that it is difficult for women to sort of relate to her success because it promotes this notion that we must be compliant with the existing system,” 21-year-old a citizen says.

Ms Ogura concurs, stating that with her as a figurehead for females in politics, “people are likely to anticipate the identical from women as well”.

“They will demand us to be conforming, not oppose the ideals that they have, and it might make our job more difficult.”

Future Challenges and Anticipations

Achieving this milestone, however, was just the first of the challenges Takaichi will encounter – not least addressing a slow growth and inflation and winning back the confidence of a discontented and angry voting public, as well as welcoming president Trump within days of taking power.

One can reasonably assume that few anticipate women's rights matters to be a top priority on her priority list.