Japan’s Rightward Turn Towards Takaichi

By Sam Dantzler

Japan is on the verge of a political milestone with the election of Sanae Takaichi as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), setting her up to become the country’s first female prime minister. At 64, the veteran lawmaker and follower of the late Shinzo Abe has long been one of the most recognizable (and controversial) figures in Japanese politics. Takaichi, a self-described admirer of Margaret Thatcher, blends fiscal populism with nationalism, a combination that could both revive conservative enthusiasm within the LDP and further polarize Japan’s fractured political landscape. Her rise also comes as the party, damaged by scandals and recent election defeats, seeks to recover credibility while navigating a rare period of minority status in both houses of parliament.

Takaichi’s policy agenda underscores her reputation as a hardliner. She has vowed to restore Abe’s “Abenomics” playbook of fiscal stimulus and cheap borrowing, even as critics warn such measures could rattle investor confidence in one of the world’s most indebted economies. On social issues, she remains firmly conservative, opposing same-sex marriage and resisting legal reforms that would allow married couples to retain separate surnames. While her election marks a breakthrough in Japan’s male-dominated politics, many women remain skeptical that she will champion gender equality. Her nationalist positions, including repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine and calls to revise Japan’s pacifist constitution, also risk straining relations with China and South Korea.

Relations with Washington will likely dominate Takaichi’s early tenure. She inherits a delicate tariff deal struck with the Trump administration that imposed a 15 percent levy on Japanese exports in exchange for $550 billion in investment commitments. Although she has floated the possibility of renegotiating, Takaichi has signaled her intent to prioritize the U.S.-Japan alliance, positioning herself to host President Trump during his planned Asia trip later this month.

For all the symbolism of her election, Takaichi’s real challenge lies in uniting a divided LDP and reassuring a public weary of rising prices, stagnant wages, and political dysfunction. Her blend of economic populism, nationalist rhetoric, and personal ambition may galvanize a base that has drifted toward populist alternatives, but at the risk of alienating moderates and deepening domestic divides. If confirmed as prime minister, she will embody both continuity with Abe’s legacy and a test of whether Japan’s oldest party can reinvent itself under the leadership of its first female figurehead.