Sanae Takaichi, a lifelong heavy metal enthusiast who once played drums in a college band, has become Japan’s first woman prime minister following her election by parliament on Thursday.
The 64-year-old conservative lawmaker, known for her unyielding views and fondness for Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath, took office after winning the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership on October 4, her third attempt at the top job, reports Reuters.
Takaichi, who keeps an electric drum kit at home and still plays to relieve stress, often jokes that she drums after her husband goes to sleep. Her energetic personality has shaped a career marked by persistence and defiance in a political system long dominated by men.
Born in Nara to a car-company worker and a police officer, Takaichi did not come from Japan’s traditional political dynasties.
Before entering politics, she interned for a US Democratic congresswoman and worked as a TV commentator, where her biker-leather style and outspoken manner stood out on Japan’s usually staid political panels.
She gave up her Kawasaki Z400GP motorcycle when she entered parliament in 1993 at age 32.
Her stylist of three decades, Yukitoshi Arai, recalled that Takaichi modeled herself after Britain’s Margaret Thatcher and symbolised her new determination by adopting her trademark “Sanae cut” , a short, practical hairstyle that became her political signature.
Since joining the LDP in 1996, she has been elected nine times and has served in key cabinet roles, including minister for gender equality, population policy, and most recently economic security under former prime minister Fumio Kishida. A member of the ultranationalist Nippon Kaigi group, Takaichi supports revising Japan’s pacifist constitution and promoting patriotic education, positions that resonate with the LDP’s conservative base.
She married a fellow LDP lawmaker in 2004 after what she calls a “phone proposal.” “He told me I’d never go a day without eating good food,” she once laughed, admitting she cannot cook.
Now, as premier, Takaichi faces daunting challenges. Japan’s declining birthrate, surging inflation, and a weakening yen have intensified economic pressures.
She has pledged large-scale fiscal measures under her own banner of “Sanaenomics,” inspired by her late mentor Shinzo Abe’s Abenomics strategy of monetary easing and stimulus. Analysts warn such policies could further strain Japan’s debt-laden finances and deepen currency volatility.
Her foreign-policy test will come swiftly. A $550 billion Japan-US investment framework signed in September, covering semiconductors, energy, and shipbuilding, may be reviewed under her leadership.
Observers say she could meet President Donald Trump within days to reaffirm Tokyo-Washington ties, following the model of Abe’s close rapport with Trump.
A self-proclaimed China hawk, Takaichi has long argued for stronger defence spending and a tougher stance on Beijing. She has also drawn criticism for past remarks implying Chinese residents in Japan have obligations to assist China’s intelligence agencies.
Despite her history of visiting the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, which honours Japan’s war dead including convicted war criminals, she has hinted she will avoid such visits as prime minister to maintain diplomatic stability.
Domestically, she inherits a ruling party still reeling from funding scandals and its links to the Unification Church. Analysts say restoring credibility will be crucial if the LDP hopes to retain voter trust.
Takaichi’s record on women’s rights has also come under scrutiny. She opposes allowing married couples to retain separate surnames and rejects the idea of female succession to the imperial throne.
However, she has proposed childcare tax credits and corporate incentives for in-house nurseries, modest steps toward improving work-life balance for women.
As Japan’s first woman prime minister, Takaichi’s rise has electrified the political scene. Supporters see her as a symbol of grit and conviction in a male-dominated world. Critics warn her hardline nationalism could polarise voters further.
Whether her leadership will revive the LDP or accelerate its decline remains Japan’s next political test.
