Who is Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister who won over Trump?

Sanae Takaichi’s ascent to lead Japan surprised the country’s political elite. The hardline conservative became the country’s first female prime minister this month. She just signed a rare earth minerals deal and a document pledging to a new “golden age” of U.S.-Japan relations with President Trump.

Host Scott Tong gets the latest from Kiyoteru Tsutsui. He’s the director of the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center and the Japan Program at Stanford University.

This segment airs on October 28, 2025. Audio will be available after the broadcast.