Japan votes on a new model of leader

From its quality cars to its quirky cartoons, Japan has long been a global influencer. On Sunday, after Japanese voters go to the polls to elect a new Parliament, it might become known for something new: an unconventional style of leadership. 

In fact, the election called by Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae – just months after being given the office by the ruling party – is seen by this former drummer in a heavy-metal band as a referendum on her leadership more than on her policies.

“Can you entrust the management of the nation to Sanae Takaichi?” she asked last month in announcing the election. “I ask the people directly to judge.”

Ms. Takaichi has been riding high in the polls, notably among Japan’s young adults who are taken by the truth-telling authenticity, selfless vulnerability, and relatable humor of the country’s first female prime minister.

“She communicates in a bright, positive way and I think that energy resonates with young people,” Takeo Fujimura, a 24-year-old clerical worker, told Reuters.

In part, the popularity of this former TV anchor relies on what she is not among her party’s largely male members: a vague-speaking, elderly politician whose father or grandfather was in the Liberal Democratic Party. She was born into an ordinary family and speaks with clarity and simplicity – giving the conclusion first in her remarks, traits admired among younger Japanese. With about 2.6 million followers on X, she is wildly popular on social media.

She jokes about her 15-minute face masks, writes with a pink pen, and carries a large, black handbag that speaks to her workaholic image. She openly mirrors herself after Britain’s long-time prime minister, Margaret Thatcher, even in her aspiration to be Japan’s “Iron Lady.”

Polls indicate her style and popularity can help her party win this election. If so, Japan – a rising challenger to China’s aggression and one of the world’s largest economies – may be in for years of an identity-changing shift. Already, Ms. Takaichi is the world’s second-most popular leader (after India’s Narendra Modi), per one poll.

In a country coming out of 35 years of economic stagnation and facing demographic decline, the Japanese appear ready for a clean break. They know cosmic change may start first with down-to-earth leadership.