Agreement in Japan Paves the Way for the First Woman to Become Prime Minister

SadaNews – The Japanese news agency “Kyodo” revealed on Sunday that the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan and the Innovation Party (Ishin) reached a general agreement to form a coalition government.

This agreement paves the way for Sanae Takaichi, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, to become the first woman to hold the position of Prime Minister in Japan’s history.

This agreement comes after intensive negotiations between the parties, particularly following the collapse of the previous coalition with the “Komeito” party and the loss of the parliamentary majority, making Ishin’s support crucial for forming the new government.

The final parliamentary vote to select the Prime Minister is expected to take place on October 21, and once the results are confirmed, Takaichi will mark a historic precedent in Japanese politics.

The 64-year-old Sanae Takaichi is considered one of the closest supporters of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. She holds conservative views and actively advocates for strengthening Japan’s defense capabilities. Many anticipated her victory in the 2024 Liberal Democratic Party presidential elections, but she lost a political battle at the last minute to Shigeru Ishiba, who became Prime Minister.

Takaichi is subjected to Russian sanctions imposed in response to Tokyo’s policies and was added to the list on May 4, 2022, while she was serving as the head of the main policy council of the Liberal Democratic Party.

Source: Kyodo